Difficult session for cyclists

The morning didn't entirely go the way the New Zealand cyclists had been hoping.

In the women's individual pursuit - now ridden over 4000m rather than 3000m - neither Emily Shearman nor Bryony Botha, the defending Commonwealth Games champion and twice a world championship medallist in this event, survived the first round initially, though Botha was subsequently given a reprieve.

Of the 23 starters, the fastest two advanced to the final and the next fastest two battled for the bronze. Botha, who reported feeling somewhat off colour, raced against super-swift Scot Erin Boothman and hammered out a quick time of 4min 32.548, which initially placed her fifth.

Shearman clocked 4min 35.688s for eighth. She raced against Kenyan Kenra Tabu, who was very slow. Shearman lapped her three times. With the Kenyan not holding a tight line, it was tricky for Shearman to know how high to go past her.

Botha was upgraded to fourth when two Australians, Sophie Edwards and Felicity Wilson-Haffenden, were disqualified. The New Zealander would thus face Boothman again, with the bronze medal at stake.

In the women's sprint field of 22, New Zealand fielded Ellesse Andrews, Olivia King and Rebecca Petch. All riders did a solo qualifying time, Andrews the quickest of the New Zealanders with 10.692s, King next at 10.832s and Petch 10.926. Andrews was surprisingly only the ninth fastest. King, 14th, and Petch, 16th, barely qualified.

In the first round, Petch was matched against brilliant Welshwoman Emma Finucane and was outgunned. King also faced a quality opponent in Englishwoman Rhianna Parris-Smith and was outpaced in the closing stages.

Andrews faced Australian Alessia McCaig, owner of two world championship bronze medals. Happily, Andrews trailed early and controlled the race well. Once she pounced she had far too much power, and won well, becoming the only New Zealander to advance to the best-of-three quarter-finals.

In the quarter-finals she faced Finucane, a match-up that might well have been a final. The Welshwoman was too clever and too powerful in both races.

Andrews was naturally disappointed about how the sprint worked out. 'Of course I wanted to be riding for the medals, but it’s hard when you meet a tough opponent like that in the early rounds. I've got a more racing to go, so the focus moves to that now.'

New Zealand fielded three riders in the men's individual pursuit, Daniel Morton, Marshall Erwood and the experienced Tom Sexton, who was a silver medallist in this event at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. Again, the fastest two in qualifying advanced to the final and the next battle for the bronze.

None of them went close to earning a medal ride. Erwood was the quickest of the trio with 4min 07.415s, which placed him seventh. Morton was 11th and Sexton 14th.