The empire strikes back: track world's day 2 pictorial

Unstoppable hosts crush opposition

Stephen McMahon

Published: March 28, 2008 at 2:30 am

Great Britain made history on the second day of the track cycling world championships by scooping all the available gold medals.

The biggest story was in the team pursuit, where the hosts set a new world record of 3:56.322 in the final to beat fastest qualifiers Denmark for the gold medal. Previous world record holders Australia had to settle for bronze, defeating New Zealand in their ride off.

In the women's 3000m individual pursuit, British ex-Olympic rower Rebecca Romero defeated reigning world champion Sarah Hammer (USA) in the final. Romero had already set the fastest time in qualifying with 3:29.59, and never looked like losing in the final. Britain's Wendy Houvenaghel rounded out the podium with the bronze medal.

The British women were on fire again in the team sprint, where Victoria Pendleton and Shanaze Reade took gold ahead of China and Germany. The pair qualified fastest in 33.186 and although they were half a second off this in the final, they still had half a second to spare over China.

In the men's sprint, it was France setting the pace in qualifying with Kévin Sireau, Gregory Bauge and Mickaël Bourgain scoring the top three positions in the flying 200m time trial. Britain's Chris Hoy qualified fourth. Things changed a little after the opening rounds were run, as Sireau, Bourgain, Hoy and Italy's Roberto Chiappa all made it through to the semi-finals, which will be held tomorrow.

Stephen McMahon was in Manchester to record the action.

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