Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games

Manchester, England, July 27 - August 3, 2002

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August 1 - Women's Sprint, National Cycling Centre

Meares sprints to victory

By Gerry McManus, Cyclingnews correspondent in Manchester

Tactical final
Photo: © Dave Clark

Kerrie Meares won another medal for Australia in the CWG women's sprint competition in an exciting three matches against Canadian Lori-Ann Muezner.

Muezner had made it look easy against Anna Meares in the semi-final but the final saw Muezner meet her match in sister Kerrie. In match A, Meares's tactics saw her first attack early and then hold the Canadian on tightly on the banking, finally accelerating to win by a bike length only to see the judges reverse the decision. They adjudged that Meares had forced Muezner to slow down and so Muezner was one-nil up.

Match B started off in a similar fashion, with Meares continuing her aggressive tactics towards the Canadian. However, the judges fired the gun to stop the match, as they deemed it was getting too aggressive. The restart was a little tamer, and Muenzer was able to lead out. However, Meares came around her easily to win and set things up for an all or nothing final match.

On her best behaviour for the final match, Meares again let Muenzer lead. The Canadian started her sprint late, but Meares just had enough gas to come around and pip the Canadian on the line.

In the ride-off for bronze in a close match and with some more spirited riding, Anna Meares took the bronze to add to the family medal tally.

Photos

Photos by Gerry McManus

• Canadian Lori-Ann Muezner glares venomously at her opponent Kerrie Meares
• Aggressive yet astute - Kerrie Meares keeps her Canadian rival up against the barriers to avoid any surprises
• On her best behaviour, Kerrie Meares wins another medal for Australia against Canadian Lori-Ann Muezner
• Angel off the bike - Kerrie Meares looks every bit the angel, happily posing for her photo with second-placed Lori-Ann Muezner and sister Anna

Photos supplied by D.J. Clark

• Anna Meares and Lori-Ann Muenzer fight it out in the first semi-final
• Lori-Ann Muenzer leads Anna Meares in the first semi-final
• Kerrie Meares (Australia) takes Victoria Pendleton (England) towards the barriers.
• Kerrie Meares (Australia) gets ready to sprint past Victoria Pendleton (England) in the semi-final
• Anna Meares (Australia) and Lori-Ann Muenzer (Canada) battle it out to the end in the semi-final
• Anna Meares pats Lori-Ann Muenzer on the back after a close race in the semi
• Anna Meares (Australia) takes Victoria Pendleton (England) high on the barriers
• Anna Meares was clearly quicker than Victoria Pendleton in the match for the bronze
• Anna Meares (Australia) wins the bronze medal sprint in front of Victoria Pendleton (England)
• Anna Meares (Australia) celebrates her bronze medal in the Women's Sprint
• Anna Meares couldn't be much happier with her bronze medal finish
• Victoria Pendleton (England) had to be content with 4th place
• Lori-Ann Muenzer (Canada) gets ready for her finals showdown with Kerrie Meares
• Kerrie Meares (Australia) focuses for the final
• Kerrie Meares (Australia) watches her opponent on the start line
• The two sprinters eye each other off in the final
• Kerrie Meares and Lori-Ann Muenzer thrilled the crowd with their tactics and aggressive riding in the final of the women's sprint
• Lori-Ann Muenzer (Canada) leads Kerrie Meares (Australia) in the final of the women's sprint
• Kerrie Meares (Australia) tries to get the jump on Lori-Ann Muenzer (Canada).
• Kerrie Meares (Australia) forces Lori-Ann Muenzer (Canada) down the track in the gold medal final
• Kerrie Meares (Australia) beats Lori-Ann Muenzer (Canada) on the line
• Kerrie Meares (Australia) smiles with her success of winning the Women's Sprint
• Anna and Kerrie Meares are all smiles. And no wonder.
• The Meares sisters congratulate each other on their wins.
• The Meares sisters and Lori-Ann Muenzer show off their medals.
• The Meares sisters show off their metal.

Results

Qualification

1 Lori-Ann Muenzer (Canada)                  11.452 (62.87 km/h)
2 Kerrie Meares (Australia)                  11.581
3 Victoria Pendleton (England)               11.744
4 Denise Hampson (Wales)                     11.814
5 Anna Meares (Australia)                    11.957
6 Melanie Szubrycht (England)                12.426
7 Hsu Min Chung (Malaysia)                   15.153
DNS Rochelle Gilmore (Australia)
DNS Fiona Carswell (New Zealand)

Quarter finals

Heat 1

1 Kerrie Meares (Australia)
2 Hsu Min Chung (Malaysia)

Heat 2
                                       Sprint 1  Sprint 2
1 Victoria Pendleton (England)          12.391    12.798
2 Melanie Szubrycht (England)

Heat 3
                                       Sprint 1  Sprint 2
1 Anna Meares (Australia)               12.596    12.595
2 Denise Hampson (Wales)

NB: Lori-Ann Muenzer (Canada) qualified automatically 
for the semi-final

Semi-finals

Heat 1
                                    Sprint 1   Sprint 2
1 Kerrie Meares (Australia)          12.665     12.617
2 Victoria Pendleton (England)

Heat 2
                                    Sprint 1   Sprint 2
1 Lori-Ann Muenzer (Canada)          11.963     11.914
2 Anna Meares (Australia)

For 5th place

5 Denise Hampson (Wales)             12.375
6 Melanie Szubrycht (England)

Finals

For Gold and Silver
                                    Sprint 1   Sprint 2   Sprint 3
1 Kerrie Meares (Australia)            DQ        12.36     12.362
2 Lori-Ann Muenzer (Canada)

For Bronze
                                    Sprint 1   Sprint 2
3 Anna Meares (Australia)            12.744      12.45
4 Victoria Pendleton (England)