Waimate cyclists delighted with medals
Waimate cyclist Holly Edmondston missed a gold medal by the narrowest of margins at the National Elite Track Cycling Championships on Thursday night in Cambridge.
The 22-year-old, riding for Mid-South Canterbury, was pipped by a mere 14/1000ths of a second by her New Zealand teammate Kirstie James (Southland) in a remarkable final of the 3000m individual pursuit at the Avantidrome.
James’ winning time of 3:28.311 was a new personal best and broke the national all-comers record, while Edmondston’s 3:28.325 was a whopping 12 seconds under the personal best she took into the championships.
Waimate’s other leading track cyclist, Dylan Kennett, powered to bronze in the men’s 4000m individual pursuit, posting a time faster than the pair that rode off for gold.
Kennett was third fastest after Thursday morning’s qualifying behind Hamish Bond and Jordan Kerby, putting him into the ride-off for bronze against Tom Sexton.
Kennett, who is riding for Waikato-Bay of Plenty, scorched the distance in 4:13.728, overtaking Sexton on the way and his time was better than Bond’s 4:14.516 posted in his gold medal winning ride against Kerby who posted 4:16.290.
Kennett joked on his Facebook that he was the ‘‘fastest loser today thanks to tonight’s ride’’ after Bond had smashed the NZ record in qualifying with a time of 4:12.436.
Edmondston and Kennett were both named in the New Zealand team for the World Track Championships in Poland starting on February 28.
A delighted Edmondston said on her Facebook page that she had ‘‘been waiting for the day where both of us Waimate kids get to ride together on the world stage.’’