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Day 5: French wins under 19 keirin

By Karen Forman

APRIL 21, 2002: Victoria Mark French is the Australian men's under 19 keirin champion and well on his way to more success at the upcoming world junior championships to be held on his home turf in Melbourne, in August.

The 17 year old took the gold medal - his fourth this championships - after making his break with two laps to go, holding off Queenslander Wade Cosgrove - and in a race described later by his coach Hilton Clarke as "just great".

French had already won the kilo, flying 200 and sprint events at these championships - not a bad way to leave his last year as an under 19. Next year he will start in the under 23 ranks.

Not that that bothers him too much . . "I am looking forward to being in the same ranks as all my mates," he said after the race.

He has been training with "the big boys" - Shane Kelly, Sean Eadie, Jobie Dajka and Ryan Bayley and credits them as helping him win today. "There's no secret to my training," he said. "I have just been riding with the big boys. My coach, Hilton Clarke, has been great and (AIS head coach) Martin Barass has been there as well."

He said ironically, he was more nervous this week at the nationals than he was at last year's worlds, when he won the Olympic sprint and sprint. He hopes to retain both titles - plus the keirin - at this year's event.

Today's keirin involved riders from four states - NSW, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia - Alex Sommer NSW, Alex Bird ACT, Wade Cosgrove QLD, Leigh Sunderland WA and Warren Scott NSW.

French and Cosgrove came into the event with the fastest times from the semi finals and it was Cosgrove, who took last position behind the derney - who worried French the most.

He might have been last in the lineup, but he obviously hd the class to go around the field and French was well aware of that.

"It wasn't an easy race," French said. "I looked around with five to go to see where he was and I could see he was at the back. I thought he would hit it with about one and a half to go, so I went at two to go. And it paid off."

Sunderland was leading with the derny pulled out and French was in third wheel. He hit the pedals and had four lengths on the field at the bell. Somner was trying hard to close the gap, but French took it out easily, with his arms held triumphantly above his head as he crossed the line.

How's he going to celebrate? "I'm going out with the big boys tonight." Makes sense.

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