Dawkins grabs silver
Powerful Kiwi sprinter Eddie Dawkins produced a superb silver medal performance to light up the New Zealand team on the penultimate day of the opening UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Paris.
Dawkins won silver in the men’s keirin after some commanding form in the lead-up, and being forced to come around four riders on the final bend to finish 0.07sec behind Japanese star Yuta Wakimoto in the final.
Dawkins, 29, has an affinity with the SaintQuentin-En-Yvelines track after winning a silver medal at the world championships there in 2015, and repeating that at the London world championships the following year.
The whole-hearted Dawkins has rediscovered his zest on and off the track under new sprint coach Rene´ Wolff, showing some outstanding form in Paris and taking a lead in the team culture.
While the team sprint suffered from a mishap in qualifying, Dawkins was the fastest third-wheel rider and the only rider under 13sec for the final lap.
Yesterday he pushed around the field to trail the experienced Theo Bos home by just 0.1sec in the first round of the keirin, and then rounded up the leaders impressively to win his semifinal. Dawkins was forced to the back after drawing the outside in the final, and had to push around four riders on the final bend to chase down Wakimoto in the final. The big Kiwi passed all and came within 0.07sec of Japan’s leading Keirin league rider in an impressive effort.
‘‘In talking with our coach, we didn’t have a predetermined tactic. Anything can happen in such a short amount of time, so Rene said that today was about picking a decision while I was out there and sticking with that decision to the end. It worked out,’’ Dawkins said.
He said he was in good spirits after strong performances within the squad.
‘‘In the final it was a long sprint with heaps of changes for the lead. There were four going around the final corner pushing for the lead and I was the one pushed to the outside and had the furthest distance but came home strongly.’’
Dawkins said he will play support for team-mates Ethan Mitchell and Sam Webster who compete in the individual sprint, but is looking forward to heading to Canada for the second World Cup next weekend.
Earlier 20-year-old Emma Cumming produced two personal best performances in the individual sprint. Compatriot Natasha Hansen was eighth fastest in qualifying in 10.776sec but was edged out in her first round match in a close sprint finish.