Guinness writes "Olympic road cycling champion Kathy Watt is once again under pressure to secure selection for the individual pursuit at this year's Games in Atlanta after an incredible ride by West Australian rival Lucy Tyler-Sharman."
"Tyler-Sharman, a member of the Australian Olympic track squad, saw her chances of selection increase when she clocked 3min33.46secs for the 3000m distance in trials at Buttgen in Germany on Thursday. The American-born rider's time was more than five seconds faster than the national record of 3:38.24 which Watt clocked in the qualifying round of the Australian titles in Perth in March."
"It was also just under two seconds off the standing world record of 3:31.92 set at high altitude by Italy's Antonella Belluti during a World Cup meeting at Cali in Colombia on April 6. Tyler-Sharman's performance is likely to force selectors to question Watt's claim to the one place available to Australia in the women's pursuit event at Atlanta."
Guinness reports on an official memo which was obtained by his newspaper from Australian track coach, Charlie Walsh to Australian officials, summarising the trials by his squad. Walsh is reported as saying that "Tyler-Sharman's time was exceptional, totally correct and above board. There can be no doubt about the time she rode."
Guinness commments that "However, while Tyler-Sharman obviously has the speed in training, her ability to meet up to the pressures of world championship or Olympic Games competition is questionable. That is not the case for Watt. Since winning the 1992 Olympic Games road race gold medal and pursuit silver, the Victorian has pulled off numerous great rides when it has been most needed."
"The other notable individual performance of last Thursday's trials was that of South Australian world 1000m time trial champion Shane Kelly, who clocked 1:3.73. His time was superb, He is not 100 per cent fit as he is still suffering from a cold."
Walsh's memo said "But from times today, he is ahead of last year. Kelly is the reigning world champion and gold medal favourite for Atlanta.
Meanwhile, the key outcome of four men's team pursuit trials of which the best time was 4:11.43, was the decision to increase the shortlist Olympic squad for the discipline from six to seven. The new face is South Australia's Tim Lyons, an 18 year-old member of Australia's 1995 world junior championship team pursuit, who has performed brilliantly at Buttgen.
"Walsh has also decided to defer selection of the six riders who will go to Atlanta from early June to the end of June."