AMY Cure came agonisingly close to landing her third medal from as many races at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
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Contesting the 25-kilometre points race in which she is the reigning world champion, the 21-year-old was one of eight riders who took a lap and claimed 20 bonus points.
Cure made a valiant solo effort to try and get a second lap towards the end of the race but could only make it halfway before being caught.
With a first, two seconds and a fourth from the 100-lap contest, Cure sat in third place on 32 points until the final sprint which Scot Katie Archibald won to leapfrog her and claim the bronze medal.
England’s Laura Trott came second and Elinor Barker, of Wales, third to put both riders on 37 points, Trott claiming the gold by virtue of finishing the race in the higher position.
Archibald’s five points took her to 33 and completed a British clean sweep of the podium at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.
‘‘I think I used up a bit too much energy towards the middle,’’ Cure said.
‘‘I knew Trott’s a really good sprinter so if I wanted to come home with the gold medal I had to try and get a lap up on her and unfortunately I couldn’t pull it off and probably used up a bit too much energy trying to get it.
‘‘I knew I had to give it all or nothing. Unfortunately it didn’t pay off but I’m happy with my ride.’’
After a bronze in the individual pursuit and silver in the scratch race, Cure was delighted with her week’s work.
‘‘I’m definitely happy with that and just to be able to put on those Australian colours at a Commonwealth Games, but it’s an even more amazing experience to come home with a couple of medals.
‘‘It would have been nice to get the set but I gave it all today and just didn’t quite have enough in the end.’’
Meanwhile, boxer Nick Cooney found plenty of positives amid the disappointment of being knocked out in the second round of the 60kg lightweight division.
Cooney faced a tough contest against home-town boy and fellow 21-year-old Charlie Flynn who was backed by a passionate sell-out crowd at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre.
After three tight rounds, judges from Kazakhstan (30-27), Algeria (29-28) and Korea (30-27) all awarded the fight to Flynn.
‘‘It was a tough fight,’’ Cooney said.
‘‘I was trying to do a lot of work but it just felt like I wasn’t hitting him with anything. My range was all out and he just outworked me.
‘‘I’m disappointed with my performance, that was a fight I should have won but I didn’t do enough.’’
Despite his disappointment, Cooney was soaking up the Games atmosphere.
‘‘I’m going to support every Aussie here ... I’ll be cheering for them and if they get through I’ll be stoked because that’s like a win for me too.’’