Southland cyclist wins Youth Olympic Gold
Invercargill teenager Jeremy Presbury outsprinted fellow Kiwi Callum Saunders (Tasman) to win Gold in the Keirin at the
Australian Youth Olympic Festival (AYOF) in Bankstown, NSW last night.
After being forced to come through the repechage following a third placing in his heat, the 17-year-old Presbury
dominated the rest of proceedings, winning the repechage, his semi-final and the final in a time of 10.936 seconds.
“It was a bit touch and go there for a while with having to go through the repechage, which I was a bit worried about,
but after going over it in my head a few times I picked out a few things I could change from the first heat and went
into the next races with a much fresher mind set,” he said.
“Getting a win in any race is going to mean something to myself, my family and to everyone who helps me along the way,
but to do it in an event like this is extra special.”
Saunders had an easier run through to the final after winning his heat and finishing second in his semi-final to
progress directly to the main event, and consequently round out the New Zealand one-two.
Of the remaining Kiwi riders in the Keirin, Zac Williams (Auckland) finished 11th while Quinn Karwowski (Tasman) did not
make it through the repechage.
The six-leg omnium event got underway yesterday with Chad Elliston (Tasman) and Liam Aitcheson (Invercargill) sharing
mixed results leading into the remaining two events.
Elliston finished second in the flying lap, fifth in the points race and third in the elimination yesterday, followed by
a 13th place finish in the individual pursuit this morning. Aitcheson logged a 15th, a second, a seventh and a fifth in
those same events.
The Kiwis will be back on the Dunc Gray Velodrome today for the last two omnium events and the men’s sprint.
For full results, visit www.olympic.org.nz.
ENDS