Macey Stewart
TWO silver medals to Devonport teenager Macey Stewart were the Tasmanian highlights on the opening night of the national track cycling championships.
Don College's 16-year-old multiple national junior champion finished second in both the individual pursuit and scratch races but said she was most pleased by claiming the under-19 Australian champs and all-comers record for the former event.
Western Australia's reigning world champion, Kelsey Robson, defended her under-19 2000-metre individual pursuit title with a superb display in the 12-lap final at Sydney's Dunc Gray Velodrome, gradually increasing her lead over Stewart to win by nearly a second in 2 minutes 26.288 seconds.
However, in the afternoon qualifying session, Team Polygon Australia member Stewart upstaged her rival by breaking Robson's championships record with a time of 2mins 24.750secs.
Stewart's performance should be enough to see her selected for the junior world championships in Glasgow in August.
In the under-19 7.5-kilometre scratch race, a stunning attack by WA's Elissa Wundersitz two laps out from the finish saw her claim a memorable victory over Stewart and Josie Talbot (New South Wales), with Launceston's Devonport Wheel winner Lauren Perry fourth.
Perry finished fourth, less than a second behind Talbot, in the individual pursuit and should also be in contention for the junior worlds.
Launceston's Peter Loft finished fifth in the elite men's pursuit won by Queenslander Michael Hepburn.
The championships end tomorrow night.
