July 30, 2004 – For a second day in a row at the 2004 Junior World Track
Championships, the Australian national anthem filled the newly built
Velodrome in Los Angeles, California. Germany leads the race for most
accumulated medals, taking more silver and bronze medals, but Australia is
content being on top with their golden success!

Michael Ford withstood the pressure last night and took gold in the
Individual Pursuit. A position he narrowly missed last year, taking home
the silver medal at the 2003 Junior World Championships in Russia. He
spent all year dreaming about winning gold. Ford has undisputable talent
and a bright career ahead of him. In April, at the Australian Junior Track
Nationals, he beat Australian Bradley McGee’s long standing Junior World
Record set in 1994 with a time of 3:17.775.

In the Keirin finals it was again an Australian rider who took gold. Shane
Perkins made a move with one lap to go and never looked back. His main
competition came from fellow Australian teammate Daniel Thorsen who
finished second. Both are fierce competitors and have been racing together
since they were fifteen years of age.

In the women’s 500 meter event Shnang Guo of China defended her title
despite a strong German showing. Miriam Welte of Germany had the fastest
first split but in the end Guo powered to the finish and took gold. Welte
finished second, a vast improvement over her 9th place finish last year
at the 2003 World Championships.

There are three days left of racing – stay tuned.

Results

Final – Men’s Keirin
1. Shane Perkins (Australia) 10.995 (65.484 km/h)
2. Daniel Thorsen (Australia)
3. Francesco Kanda (Italy)
4. Ryan Nelman (USA)
5. Matthew Crampton (Great Britain)

Women 500m
1. Shuang Guo (China) 35.821 (50.250km/h)
2. Miriam Welte (Germany) 36.560 (49.234km/h)
3. Jane Gerisch (Germany) 36.719 (49.021km/h)
4. Elodie Henriette (France) 36.990 (48.662km/h)
5. Annalisa Cucinotta (Italy) 37.127 (48.482km/h)
12. Laura Brown (Canada) 38.684 (46.531km/h)
16. Mylene Laliberte (Canada) 39.780 (45.249km/h)

Men’s Individual Pursuit
1. Michael Ford (Australia) 3.21.802 (53.518km/h)
2. Sascha Damrow (Germany) 3.30.453 (51.318km/h)
3. Patrick Gretsch (Germany)
4. Ivan Kovalev (Russia)
5. Miles Olman (Australia)

Womens’ Individual Pursuit Qualifying
1. Marlijn Binnendijk (Netherlands) 2.30.244 (47.922 km/h)
2. Bianca Rogers (Australia) 2.31.434
3. Paddy Walker (New Zealand) 2.33.242
4. Amanda Spratt (Australia) 2.33.301
5. Kimberly Geist (USA) 2.33.448
15. Mylene Laliberte (Canada) 2.45.599
17. Naomi Cooper (Canada) 2.47.294