April 7/18 11:01 am - Kinley Gibson Finishes 8th in Comm Games Points Race

Posted by Editoress on 04/7/18
 

Canada recorded three top-10 performances at the velodrome on the third day of competition in the Commonwealth Games.  Australia continues to rack up gold medals at the Anna Meares velodrome in Brisbane at the Commonwealth Games, winning two more on Saturday, to bring their total after three days to seven gold.  New Zealand added their second title, while Wales won their first.

Kinley Gibson was the top Canadian for the day, finishing eighth overall in the women's Points Race.  Gibson attacked solo in the first 15 laps of the 100 lap race and managed to take the maximum number of points one intermediate sprint before she was caught by the bunch.  The gold medal was won by Wales' Elinor Barker, who lapped the field.  In other Canadian results, Steph Roorda was 19th and Allison Beveridge 22nd.

Kinley Gibson

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"I was pretty happy with my race today," said Gibson.  "I went in knowing that I didn't have the turn of speed that is required to contest the sprints, so I wanted to follow wheels and try to get in as many smart moves as I could.  If the opportunity presented itself, try and pick up some points.  The field sat up and I saw a moment and went, and was able to pick up five points."

The Points Race came down to a battle between Elinor Barker of Wales and Katie Archibold of Scotland.  Archibold, already the individual pursuit champion, started racking up points in the intermediate sprints, however, Barker waited until a lull mid-race to launch an attack and take a solo lap on the field.  She then won the final double points sprint to seal her victory.  Scotland's Neah Evans won the bronze.

The women's 500 metre time trial saw two top-10 performances for Canada, with Lauriane Genest finishing ninth and Amelia Walsh tenth.  Australia took their first win of the night in the women's 500 metre time trial, with Kaarle McCulloch beating team mate Stephanie Morton for the gold medal.  Remarkably, this is McCulloch's first individual title at a major event; having won all her other titles with either Anna Meares or Morton.  Emma Cumming of New Zealand won the bronze.

Lauriane Genest

"This is one of my favourite events, and I was hoping for more than I did," said Genest.  "I tried to jump to early [out of the gate] and I wasn't synchronized with the gate.  So it destabilized me a bit at the start.  I tried to go all out, but it was too late and I couldn't make it up.  So I'm going to keep working with the gate for the future."

In other competitions Canada did not fare as well.  Neither Michael Foley nor Aidan Caves finished the men's Scratch Race, while sprinters Hugo Barrette and Stefan Ritter were both knocked out of the men's sprint competition in the first round, finishing 12th and 13th overall.

"I've never done a 9.8 [seconds] at sea level, so that was a PB for me," said Ritter  "My plan was to execute if I had the lead and try to keep the pace high, because that suits me better.  That's exactly what I did, and I didn't let [eventual bronze medalist Jacob Schmid] get a jump on me.  Unfortunately, he came around me in the last couple of corners, but I gave it my all, and it is what it is."

Keirin winner Matt Glaetzer qualified first in the men's sprint by setting a new Games record, and then immediately went down to defeat against Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom of Malaysia in the 1/8 final.

The sprint gold medal final would come down to defending champion Sam Webster of New Zealand versus Jack Carlin of Scotland.  Webster won the first ride easily, but the second win to claim the title came down to a bike throw.  In the bronze medal final, Australia's Jacob Schmid prevailed over the giant-killer Sahrom.

The final medal event of the day was the men's Scratch Race.  A very high pace and constant vigilance by the Australian team meant that no one got away until the closing laps, when Ethan Hayter of England managed to open a gap.  With less than a kilometre remaining, Hayter looked to have the title sewn up after a solo breakaway effort.  However, Cameron Meyer went to the front for Australia and brought the gap down to the point that in the final half lap his team mate Sam Welsford could jump across with a small group to overtake Hayter for the victory.  Campbell Stewart of New Zealand won silver and Christopher Latham of England took the bronze.

Day 3 results

Day 2: Genest Just Off the Podium in Commonwealth Games Sprint

Double Bronze for Canada on Opening Day of Commonwealth Games

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