Day 6 (track): Two Kiwis don rainbow jerseys, and a birthday surprise

Two Kiwi World Champions were made today, and they are over the moon. Paralympians Nicole Murray and Anna Taylor’s strong results through the competition added up to Omnium golds and World Championship titles in their respective sports classes. This brings the New Zealand Para cycling medal tally to 10 so far.

A rainbow jersey birthday present for Anna Taylor

New C4 world champion Paralympian #225 Anna Taylor is grinning from ear to ear with the best result of her career to date. What’s more, it has fallen on what will surely be a memorable 32^nd birthday! The C4 rider has really shown how much she’s developed in this World Championships with a number of PBs and career firsts throughout the track racing. Today’s gold is her first medal of the World Championships so far.

The Cambridge 32-year-old has consistently demonstrated herself to be the “consummate rider”, as the commentators describe her. Her results added up to Omnium success for the new World Champion, who shared:

“Pretty stoked. Yeh, I’m over the moon. Best way to spend my birthday!”

Previously an accomplished rower, Taylor received a C4 classification after Acute Cauda Equina Syndrome (compression of the nerve roots in the spine).

Back-to-back Omnium golds for Nicole Murray

Paralympian #222 Nicole Murray has now won the C5 Omnium gold two years in a row. That doesn’t make it any less special for the Otorohanga native:

“Stepping up to the top step on the podium is special every single time. This campaign I’ve worked for, race by race, and to finish on the top is just awesome. To hear the New Zealand anthem and see all the Kiwis in the crowd cheering me on and just feel that support.”

Today’s gold completes the set for the C5 Para cyclist, who previously won bronze in the 500m Time Trial and silver in the 3km Individual Pursuit. The 30-year-old was pipped at the post for a Scratch Race medal today, finishing 4^th, but the result was still enough for her to top the Omnium points table.

Following one more day of track competition, all six of the track Para cyclists will proceed to road Para cycling. 3 more teammates in tricycle and handcycle classes will join them there. With strong credentials in road as well as racing, we may well hear more from both Murray and Taylor in this World Championships.

 

Looking ahead to Day 7

Paralympian #213 Sarah Ellington battles the C2 field in the 10km Scratch Race tomorrow. A sprint team of Nicole Murray, Nick Blincoe and Devon Briggs will join forces in the C1-5 Mixed Team Sprint.

See the schedule of when the New Zealanders compete. Livestreaming is available for some events, and links to the livestreams are provided on the schedule.

About the World Championships

The UCI Cycling World Championships (opens a new tab) have been dubbed the ‘Super Worlds’. They bring together 13 different World Championships in various cycling disciplines into one massive event in Glasgow, Scotland. The Para cyclists will compete in track events until next Tuesday 8^th August. Following that they then contest road events from Wednesday 9^th August through to Sunday 13^th August.

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What do the classifications mean in Para cycling?

• Classification groups Para cyclists with an eligible impairment into sports classes, according to how much their impairment affects their ability to carry out the fundamental activities in their sport.
• Para athletes who are able to use a standard bicycle (with approved adaptations) compete in the five sport classes C1-5.
• Sport class C1 is allocated to athletes with the most severe activity limitation. The sport class C5 is allocated to athletes with minimum impairments.
• The C1-5 sport classes include athletes with limb deficiency, impaired muscle power or range of motion and impairments affecting co-ordination, such as uncoordinated movements and involuntary movements.