The Netherlands’ Arnoud Nijhuis broke the men’s C1 kilometre time trial world record to clinch gold of the second day of the International Cycling Union (UCI) Para-cycling Track World Championships at the Montichiari Velodrome in Italy.
Nijhuis had only been able to win a bronze medal in the C1 pursuit on the opening day of competition yesterday but produced a blistering ride to complete the kilometre distance in 1min 12.423sec.
It saw him lower the previous world record of 1:13:009, set by Li Zhangyu at London 2012.
The Chinese rider had to settle for the silver medal, despite setting a personal best of 1:12.597, and Argentina’s Rodrigo Fernand Lopez clocked 1:20.296 to win bronze.
Nijhuis’ title was the second Dutch success of the day, with Alyda Norbruis bouncing back from losing her women’s C2 3km pursuit crown by winning the 500m time trial.
The 26-year-old, winner of three titles in 2015, was just outside her world record pace but still had more than enough to claim victory, ending in 40.260sec.
Australia’s Amanda Reid and China’s Song Zhenling completed the podium by ending in 42.147 and 44.237 respectively.
Britain’s Megan Giglia has quickly established herself as one of the stars of the Championships, breaking the women’s C3 500m time trial world record, a day after achieving the same feat in the pursuit.
Giglia, fourth in both events last year, shaved a second off the previous record by completing the distance in 41.761.
A time of 43.159 was enough for Germany’s Denise Schindler to win the silver medal, while the previous world record holder Jamie Whitmore settled for bronze.
The American managed a time of 43.784.
Whitmore’s compatriot Joseph Berenyi earned his second title of the Championships by crossing the line a time of 1:09.534 in the men’s C3 kilometre time trial.
The Russian duo of Alexsey Obydennov and Sergey Batukov claimed the final medal positions, recording times of 1:10.120 and 1:10.317 respectively.
Canada’s Tristen Chernove nearly delivered the third world record of the day but ended 0.044 seconds slower than the current mark by posting a time of 1:13.279.
The record holder Xie Hao claimed the silver medal in 1:15.311 and 1:15.925 was enough for Britain’s Louis Rolfe to win the bronze medal.
Australia’s Kieran Modra and David Edwards defeated their Spanish rivals Ignacio Avila Rodriguez and Joan Font Bertoli by four seconds to win the men’s visually impaired 4km pursuit title.
Daniel Chalifour and Jean-Michel Lachance claimed the bronze medals after the Canadian duo were one second quicker than Britain’s Adam Duggleby and Stephen Bate.
The women’s event, raced over 3km, was won by New Zealand’s Laura Thompson and Emma Foy, with the tandem duo defeating Japan’s Yurie Kanuma and Mai Tanaka by five seconds.
Britain’s Lora Urnham and Corrine Hall crossed the line three seconds clear of their Irish rivals Katie-George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal to win the bronze medal.
- By Michael Pavitt
- Republished with permission insidethegames.biz