Pursuit gold for NZ's Peter Latham

Jan 15th, 12. Continuing New Zealand's proud tradition of success in the individual pursuit track event, Peter Latham claimed gold today in the UCI Beijing World Cup event.

Latham took out the men's 4000m individual pursuit over Australian Mitchell Mulqueen. The Waikato rider, who turned 28 last week, topped qualifiers with his time of 4:26.100.

He had to show all his experience to win the final against the Australian, who started strongly to open a 2sec lead after 1000m. Mulqueen was still ahead at the three-quarter mark but Latham's experience and conditioning came to the fore with a superb final 1000m in 1:06 to earn victory in 4:25.964.

Latham's medal was New Zealand's third to date in this competition. Kiwis earned the bronze in the 4000m team pursuit yesterday - a great result considering it was a new four rider combination being tested ahead of next month's key world cup in London and the world championships in Melbourne.

The combination of Westley Gough, Cameron Karwowski, Peter Latham and Myron Simpson beat off the challenge from Great Britain for the bronze medal. They clocked 4:03.758 to comfortably win the bronze medal, finishing 3sec clear of the British combination. 

The New Zealand team sprint trio also won a bronze medal with the new combination of Matt Archibald, Eddie Dawkins and Simon van Velthooven.

They qualified third fastest in 44.748, 3/10ths behind top qualifier Russia. They were slightly slower in the bronze medal ride against Venezuela but van Velthooven, the big Manawatu sprinter, unleashed a powerful final lap of 14.432s to edge the kiwis into the bronze medal.

The women's team pursuit trio of Kaytee Boyd, Rushlee Buchanan and Gemma Dudley were fourth in the 3000m team pursuit clocking 3.28.603 to be beaten for the bronze medal by hosts China.

Kiesanowski going great in the omnium

Olympic hopeful Jo Kiesanowski is in a share of 2nd place after the first day of the women's omnium.

The Christchurch professional was 4th in the 200m Flying Lap in 14.826, a fraction outside her best, but placed 13th in the points race. She bounced back with a brilliant ride to finish 2nd in the elimination race pipped in the final sprint to Russian Evgenia Romanyuta, the former world junior champion and current European points race champion.

The Russian leads overall after three rounds on 11 points with Kiesanowski in a share of second place with China's Mei Hsiao on 19 points with the individual pursuit, scratch race and time trial to conclude the contest tonight.

Results to date

Men 4000m individual pursuit, gold medal: Peter Latham (NZL) 4:25.964, 1; Mitchell Mulqueen (AUS) 4:26.267, 2; Bronze medal: Kevin Labeque (FRA) 4:28.519, 3; Valery Kaykov (RUS) 4:29.328, 4.

Men 4000m team pursuit, gold medal ride: Russia 3:57.699, 1; Australia 4:01.804, 2. Bronze medal: New Zealand (Westley Gough, Cam Karwowski, Peter Latham, Myron Simpson) 4:03.758, 3; Great Britain 4:06, 853, 4.

Men team sprint, gold medal ride: Russia 44.198, 1; China 44.430, 2. Bronze medal ride: New Zealand (Matt Archibald, Eddie Dawkins, Simon van Velthooven) 44.827, 3; Venezuela 44.914, 4.

Women 500m time trial: Natasha Hansen 35.278, 5.

Women team sprint: New Zealand (Katie Schofield, Natasha Hansen) 34.236, 8.

Women 3000m team pursuit, gold medal ride: Ukraine 1, Belarus 2 (overtaken); bronze medal: China 3:22.588, 3; New Zealand (Kaytee Boyd, Rushlee Buchanan, Gemma Dudley) 3:37.357, 4.