Australian Youth Olympics Festival

Sydney, January 20-23, 2005

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Day 3 Report and Results - January 22

Dunc Gray Velodrome, Sydney, 22 January 2005

Who stole all the gold..? Australia did!

A big effort
Photo ©: Les Clarke

On day three of cycling action at Dunc Gray Velodrome, Australia has won all Gold medals across all events to take the Gold medal tally to ten.

In the Women’s 20km Points Race, Skye-Lee Armstrong (NSW) controlled the race from the start, winning five of the eight sprints on offer to take the overall win with 26 points. "Gary (Sutton, coach) had a plan. He wanted me to go for it after the fourth sprint and try and drop the pack and it paid off," said Armstrong, who won by 10 points over nearest rival, NSW team mate Jessica Hume. "Towards the end of the race I knew I couldn’t be caught and I saw Jess’s (Hume's) name on the scoreboard sitting in second so I tried to help her out as best I could. It was great to see her get the silver."

Australian Head Junior Coach Gary Sutton was impressed with Armstrong’s performance; "She showed real character out there by attempting to lap the field. She has been working really hard for this so it’s fantastic to see her come away with the win". A count back was needed to determine the winner of the bronze medal, eventually being awarded to Grace Sulzberger of Tasmania over Tiffany Cromwell (SA) who both finished with 10 points.

It was an exciting finish to the Men’s 25km Points Race with the final lap determining the winner of the 24 strong field. Cameron Meyer of West Australia was the long time race leader, but was overcome in the last few metres by Mitchell Pearson (NSW) who came home with lightning pace. "I was worried at the half way mark when I saw that Cameron (Meyer) was a lap up on us, so I just sat back and tried to save my legs and then gave it all I had at every point opportunity" said Pearson. Meyer had to settle for the silver, while Michael Northey of New Zealand raced consistently to take the bronze.

The Women's Keirin final
Photo ©: Les Clarke

The Women’s Keirin was won by Queensland’s Hayley Wright, who beat favourite for the event Skye-Lee Armstrong of New South Wales - "The pace was really quick and I wanted to keep it up so that I could be in control of the race. I got myself into a good position, so I am happy with how it finished" said a relieved Wright trackside. Armstrong won a bronze medal at the World Junior Track Cycling Championships last year in this event but had to contend with the silver. "Another few centimetres and I would have had her" laughed Armstrong. The two girls are good friends.

The bronze medal went to promising young New Zealander Bridgette Broad.

Elation at the end of the Men’s Keirin final, with Daniel Ellis (ACT) finally picking up his first individual gold medal of the meet. "I’m so happy with how I have gone here. I’ve been feeling really flat for the past couple of weeks so I didn’t think that I would be able go as well as I have. The added pressure of this type of competition certainly makes you lift yourself to the next level." Silver went to Geoff Hopkins of New South Wales, while Japan's Hironori Yasufuku picked up the bronze.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Les Clarke/www.cyclingnews.com

Chnia was well represented in Sydney
Daniel Ellis takes off in the Men's Keirin
Daniel Ellis (ACT) steadying himself
Ellis gets ready to do the Keirin
The Men's Keirin podium Geoff Hopkins (NSW), Daniel Ellis (ACT) and Hironori Yasafuku (Japan)
Victory in the Men's Team Sprint Scott Sunderland (WA), Daniel Ellis (ACT) and Byron Page (WA)
A big effort from Daniel Ellis in the Men's Keirin semi
It was a quality field in the Men's Keirin
Courtney Le Lay and Skye-Lee Armstrong featured in the Women's Keirin
Hayden Josefski pushes hard in the points race
Josefski (Qld) was pumped after his big win in Rockhampton
The Women's Keirin final was a quality field
There were plenty of big efforts in Sydney for the Youth Olympics Festival

Results

Men's 25k Points Race Final
 
1 Mitchell Pearson (NSW)         29 pts
2 Cameron Meyer (WA)             25
3 Michael Northey (NZL)          10
4 Mario Giramondo (VIC)           9
5 Hayden Josefski (Qld)           7
6 Cyril Guillemard (NCAL)         6
7 Reniell Matthysen (RSA)         5
8 Jackson-Leigh Rathbone (NSW)    4
9 Florian Bonnerot (NCAL)         4
10 Adam O'connor (WA)             3
11 Matthew Pettit (NSW)           2
12 Gergory Lemaitre (NCAL)        2
13 Duane Johansen (WA)            1
 
Women's 20km Points Race Final
 
1 Skye-Lee Armstrong (NSW)       26 pts
2 Jessica Hume (NSW)             16
3 Grace Sulzberger (Tas)         10
4 Tiffany Cromwell (SA)          10
5 Aude Salmon (NCAL)              8
6 Rebecca Macpherson (WA)         7
7 Naomi Adams (NSW)               2
8 Rushlee Buchanan (NZL)          2
9 Natasha Buck (NZL)              1
10 Antonia Restall (NZL)           
11 Joanna Von Berky (Qld)          
12 Josephine Tomic (WA)            
 
Men's Keirin Final
 
1 Daniel Ellis (ACT)               
2 Geoff Hopkins (NSW)              
3 Hironori Yasufuku (JPN)          
4 Ryota Kataori (JPN)              
5 Scott Sunderland (WA)            
6 Adam Stewart (NZL)               
 
Women's Keirin Final
 
1 Hayley Wright (Qld)              
2 Skye-Lee Armstrong (NSW)         
3 Bridgette Broad (NZL)            
4 Courtney Le Lay (Qld)            
5 Jessica Tanner (Vic)             
6 Renae Horsley (WA)