Triple gold for record-breaking Aussie cyclists

Members of the Australia team celebrate their gold medal win in the women's 4000m team pursuit finals track cycling event during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Anna Meares Velodrome in Brisbane on April 5, 2018. PHOTO | PATRICK HAMILTON |

By  AFP

What you need to know:

  • The Australians romped home in 3mins 49.804sec, beating the 3:50.265 set by Britain at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
  • Annette Edmondson, a member of the victorious women's 4,000m pursuit team, said: "After the setbacks in Rio... that is sport, and it has its ups and downs. Our thoughts were on this race and to get on with it and get the job done.
  • "We're now focused on how we can use this race to see what we can do in the future."

BRISBANE

Australia went some way towards easing the pain of Rio 2016 as the Commonwealth Games hosts sealed a hat-trick of track cycling golds on Thursday, demolishing a world record along the way.

Roared on by a capacity crowd at the Anna Meares Velodrome in Brisbane, the Australians romped home against England in the men's 4,000m team pursuit final in a record-breaking 3mins 49.804sec, beating the 3:50.265 set by Britain at Rio.

Also Read

Australia's Ashlee Ankudinoff celebrates her team's gold medal win in the women's 4000m team pursuit finals track cycling event during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Anna Meares Velodrome in Brisbane on April 5, 2018. PHOTO | PATRCK HAMILTON |

The Australians also triumphed in the women's team pursuit and women's team sprint — each time over New Zealand — to carry home three of the four golds up for grabs on the first day of cycling action on the track.

The men's team sprint title went to New Zealand with England again pipped into silver.

In front of the watching Camilla, wife of Britain's Prince Charles, it was a measure of redemption for the under-pressure home racers.

From Left to Right: Australia's Ashlee Ankudinoff, Annette Edmondson, Alexandra Manly, and Amy Cure pose with their gold medals in the women's 4000m team pursuit finals track cycling event during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Anna Meares Velodrome in Brisbane on April 5, 2018. PHOTO | PATRICK HAMILTON |

The Australian cycling team went to the Olympics two years ago aiming to win at least three golds, but they returned home with none and instead it was Britain who dominated.

Annette Edmondson, a member of the victorious women's 4,000m pursuit team, said: "After the setbacks in Rio... that is sport, and it has its ups and downs. Our thoughts were on this race and to get on with it and get the job done.

"We're now focused on how we can use this race to see what we can do in the future."

In the headlines