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2006 Commonwealth Games - JR
Melbourne, Australia, March 16-26, 2006
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March 21: Women’s road time trial
Australia sweeps women's time trial
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The Australian women's team completed a clean sweep of the women's road time trial this morning, their task made a little easier by the late withdrawal of red hot favourite Sarah Ulmer (New Zealand), who suffered a pinched nerve in her back. Ulmer is expected to recover ahead of Sunday's road race.
Held in near perfect conditions on a fairly flat out and back course along Beach Road, Melbourne's premier cycling training route, Oenone Wood, Kathy Watt and Sara Carrigan continued the host nation's domination for the cycling events, with 2005 World Cup winner Wood claiming the gold medal.
The fifth rider of fourteen starters, Wood was within five seconds of her minute woman, Alison Shanks (New Zealand) at the turn around, and on her scorching return ride, passed all four women who had started before her, to stop the clock in 37.40.87. Carrigan was the next of the favourites to start, and was within a second of Wood's time, however, the Olympic champion faded in the second half and was visibly tired as she rolled toward the finish line to record the second fastest time thus far; twenty seconds slower than Wood.
Carrigan said that she couldn't have come any closer to Wood's impressive time. "It's about giving it everything, and I gave it everything today - I couldn't go any faster. I was aware of the one-second gap going into the turn, and all I could do was go as hard as I could."
The remaining women to reach the turn around were well behind both Carrigan and Wood, before Kathy Watt, the final starter and oldest competitor at 41 years, made the turn around the landmark Black Rock clock tower only twenty seconds down on the leaders. Watt owns a bike shop on Beach Road only metres from the clock tower, and has been a very recognizable figure for the past year training on the circuit.
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Watt's return trip was the fastest of all the starters, and enough to close the deficit to Carrigan, giving her the silver medal, her seventh medal in four Commonwealth Games. Watt was delighted to have taken second place, although "you always want to go faster..." admitting later, "I was hoping to win gold, but the course was a little flat for me, but it's good Australia made it 1-2-3. I thought [being able to ride on home turf] was too good an opportunity to miss, so I trained hard to make it here. I've probably ridden this road thousands of times and I know it pretty well."
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Wood was not a favourite for the time trial, as she acknowledged afterwards. "I was certainly the dark horse coming into today, especially after nationals - these guys put minutes into me there," she said. "But we've had a couple of world cups in the meantime where I've worked hard and today it went well. My grandma has been ringing for the last three weeks; she came down to watch and I'm glad I've made it worth her while."
Wood said the 29-kilometer out-and-back course was deceptive. "It looks flat," she said, "but it doesn't feel flat; it's pretty tough, but I think we were all suffering, however by that last two k's."
A factor in the Australians' domination was almost certainly the home crowd support. "Even yesterday at training people came out to watch us and cheer," said Wood. "There were literally people all along the course today so you didn't want to ease up at any point when people are watching you. You need to give them what they came for."
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Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Rob Jones/www.canadiancyclist.com
- Alison Shanks (New Zealand)
- Oenone Wood (Australia)
- Wendy Houvenaghel (England)
- Erinne Willock (Canada)
- Rachel Heal (England)
- Sue Palmer-Komar (Canada)
- Melissa Holt (New Zealand)
- Kathryn Watt (Australia)
- Oenone Wood (Australia)
- Sara Carrigan (Australia) - totally focused
- Kathryn Watt (Australia) knows she's done a good time
- Melissa Holt (New Zealand) was pushed into fourth by the Australian sweep.
- Oenone Wood
- The podium - Kathy Watt, Oenone Wood, and Sarah Carrigan (Orstraya, Orstraya, Orstraya)
- The medalists greet the crowd
Images by Mal Sawford/Cyclingnews
- Stephania Magri (Malta) was the first rider off
- Oenone Wood (Australia) was quickly back up to speed after the turn around
- Wood heads back towards the city through a huge crowd
- Sara Carrigan (Australia) was within 1 second of Wood at the turn
- Melissa Holt (New Zealand) was the best of the rest, taking fourth place at the finish
- The silver medallist's shop - Kathy Watt Cycling – stands out through the crowd
- The locals were right behind their neighbour
- I wonder why this shop’s not open?
- Third fastest at the turn, Watt flew home to finish only 15 seconds behind Wood
Images by Mark Gunter/www.pbase.com/gunterphotograph
- Oenone Wood (Australia) on her way on a perfect day
- Oenone Wood (Australia) heads down the esplanade
- Sarah Carrigan (Australia) on course
- Kathy Watt (Australia) showed good form but could only manage 2nd
- Oenone Wood (Australia) rode like she had a motor
- Oenone Wood (Australia) nears the end of her ride
- Sarah Carrigan (Australia) put in a big effort
- Leow Hoay Sim (Malaysia) starts her ride
- Kathy Watt (Australia) in front of the big crowd
- The women's podium
- Oenone Wood (Australia) pretty pleased with today
Images by Shane Goss/www.licoricegallery.com
- Now son, this is where all the action is going to be today…at the women's time trial in the Commonwealth Games
- Oenone Wood flying towards a gold medal in the women's time trial at St.Kilda in Melbourne
- A rider giving her all in the women's time trial at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games
- Sara Carrigan (Australia) on the road to a bronze medal, beachside at St.Kilda
- A Malaysian rider in action during the women's time trial
- Kathy Watt (Australia) had plenty of hometown support at St.Kilda for her ride against the clock
- Sara Carrigan (Australia) explains her bronze medal ride in the women's time trial
- Sara Carrigan (Australia) was delighted with her bronze medal… can't you tell?
- Sara Carrigan (Australia) makes her way back to camp to freshen up for the medal presentations
- Watt, Wood and Carrigan: An Australian trifecta of medals, thank the crowd for their support
- The podium (L-R): Kathy Watt (2nd), Oenone Wood (1st), and Sara Carrigan (3rd) all of Australia
- From the left; Kathy Watt, Oenone Wood and Sara Carrigan listen to another 'Advance Australia Fair'
- An Australian triple-treat (L-R): Kathy Watt, Oenone Wood and Sara Carrigan proudly display their medals
- Oenone Wood (Australia) signs autographs for the crowd at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games
- Oenone Wood (Australia) looking proud as she wears her gold medal in Melbourne
- Even the Commonwealth Games volunteers need a break during the 'Games'!
Images by CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net
- Stephania Magri (Malta) enjoyed her day
- Oenone Wood (Aus) breathes deeply before the start
- Sara Carrigan (Aus) takes a look down the course prior to starting
- Sara Carrigan in action
- Katrina Hair (Sco)
- Melissa Holt (Nzl) was fourth
- Kathy Watt (Aus) heads out for her ride
- Oenone Wood (Aus) heads for home
- Erinne Willock (Can) nears the finish
- The three Aussies salute the crowd (L-R, Watt, Wood , Carrigan)
- Kathy Watt (silver), Oenone Wood (Commonwealth Champion), Sara Carrigan (bronze)
Results
1 Oenone Wood (Australia) 37.40.87 2 Kathryn Watt (Australia) 0.15.20 3 Sara Carrigan (Australia) 0.19.45 4 Melissa Holt (NewZealand) 1.21.66 5 Rachel Heal (England) 1.45.50 6 Wendy Houvenaghel (England) 2.05.15 7 Alison Shanks (New Zealand) 2.36.38 8 Susan Jane Palmer-Komar (Canada) 2.51.73 9 Katrina Hair (Scotland) 2.59.30 10 Erinne Willock (Canada) 3.58.92 11 Julia Lesley Hawley (Bermuda) 5.17.80 12 Noor Azian Binti Alias (Malaysia) 5.29.86 13 Leow Hoay Sim (Malaysia) 5.44.57 14 Stephania Magri (Malta) 8.18.39 Back to top
