Christie Breaks 16 Year Old Record at Junior Track Champs

Published On: 27 February 2014

Tahlay Christie on her way to breaking a 16 year-old record at the Australian Junior Track Championships

The 2014 Cycling Australia Junior Track National Championships kicked off in fine style yesterday, with Australian records tumbling at the first session at the Dunc Gray Velodrome.

Perhaps the biggest record broken on the day was in the women’s U17 500m time trial, where Western Australian Institute of Sport athlete Tahlay Christie smashed a 16-year-old record that was set by Kerrie Meares back in 1998. Christie finished with a time of 35.881 to set the new Australian record, with Brooke Tucker (QLD) taking home silver and Brit Jackson (VIC) bronze.

Christie set a second record on day two of competition in the women’s 200m flying lap after stopping the clock in 11.823 to be the fastest qualifier for the women’s sprint rounds to be contested later in day two action.

Records were broken again when the U17 men took to the track, with the Australian record for the 500m time trial falling four times following some superb racing. In the final, number one ranked rider Cameron Scott (NSW) secured first place, setting the new Australian record with a time of 32.998, while rival Ryan Schilt (VIC) placed second and Connor Rowley (VIC) third.

Cameron Scott also picked up his second gold medal of the day in the U17 men’s points race, with Joshua Toovey (NSW) taking silver and Thomas McDonald (VIC) bronze.

In the men’s U15 sprint qualifying, ACT rider Matthew Rice just missed out on breaking 12 seconds, crossing the line with a time of 12.025. Mitchell Wright (NSW) qualified second and Nathan Bof (VIC) third. But when it came to the final race, it was Wright that took home the gold, followed by Ronin Munro (TAS) and Matthew Rice (ACT).

In the women’s U15 sprint, QLD’s Skye Robson qualified fastest in the morning, breaking the 13-second mark and later going on to win the final. Alana Field (VIC) took home silver in the event, with Georgia Cummings (VIC) taking bronze.

Finishing up with the team pursuit finals saw Victoria taking home two gold medals on day 1. In the men’s U17 3000m team pursuit qualifying, Victoria’s team of Thomas McFarlane, Ran Schilt, Godfrey Slattery and James Ticker set a new Australian record with a time of 3.19:16, putting them in the gold medal ride off where they again rode to victory. The NSW team took home a silver medal and SA bronze.

These placings were again repeated in the women’s U17 3000m team pursuit final, with the Victorian team of Emma Chilton, Emily Dunk, Ashleigh Hocking and Ruby Roseman-Gannon riding their way to a gold medal, followed by NSW in second place and SA third.

-CyclingAustralia