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Co. Wicklow rider Lara Gillespie won the bronze medal in the Women’s Omnium at the second round of the Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup, taking place in Hong Kong.
Japan claimed the gold and silver medals with Yumi Kajihara and Tsuyaka Uchino respectively. Kajihara finished on 124 points, Uchino on 113 and Gillespie 108, 16 points clear of her nearest rival.
Gillespie got off to a strong start in the opening Scratch Race. She maintained her third-place position after the tempo race. Another strong performance in the Elimination Race set Gillespie up well for the final Points Race.
The Nations Cup proved to be a very successful event for the Irish Track Team who continue their bid for Olympic qualification.
Action got underway on Friday morning with the Team Pursuit. The team of Gillespie, Mia Griffin, Alice Sharpe and Kelly Murphy had an outstanding performance to claim silver, behind New Zealand.
This result is likely to be influential in Ireland’s quest to gain qualification for the Team Pursuit in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Ireland came into this weekend in 6th in qualifying, with the top ten booking a ticket to Paris this summer.
Mia Griffin and Alice Sharpe teamed up for the Women’s Madison on Saturday, coming home with a fifth-place finish.
Irish Para-cycling Track Team Ready For World Cup
The Irish National Para-cycling Track Team are looking forward to the 2024 Para-cycling Track World Championships in Rio De Janeiro from March 20th-24th. With 11 riders set to compete, the World Championships are a key event in preparation for the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.
Ireland took home five bronze medals from the 2023 Para-cycling Track World Championships and will be hoping to defend the haul in Brazil next week.
Speaking ahead of the Championships, Cycling Ireland National Para-cycling Coach, Jamie Blanchfield, said:
“We are excited to name such a strong and experienced team for the World Track World Championships in Rio next week. This will be the last major Championships in advance of the Paris Paralympics later this year. The event represents a key point in our qualification campaign and also affords us a crucial benchmarking opportunity in our final preparations for the Paralympic Games.â€
Ireland will be well represented with two tandem pairings in both the men and women’s categories. Ronan Grimes, Richael Timothy and Chris Burns will compete in the individual events.
Multiple world and Paralympic medalists Katie-George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal combine following their individual pursuit bronze in Glasgow. They’ll defend their medal and compete in the 1km Time Trial and sprint events.
Linda Kelly pilots Josephine Healion as the duo continue to develop as a track tandem pairing, also competing in the 1km Time Trial, Individual Pursuit and sprint events.
In the men’s tandem, Eoin Mullen pilots Martin Gordon in the sprint, 1km Time Trial and Individual Pursuit. Damien Vereker and Mitchell McLaughlin begin their second season as a tandem pairing, competing in the 1km Time Trial and Individual Pursuit.
Ronan Grimes defends his bronze medals in the Individual Pursuit and Scratch Race and competes in the Omnium, 200m Flying Start and 1km Time Trial.
Richael Timothy competes in a host of events following her double bronze medal win in the Omnium and Scratch Races last year. She takes on those events, the 200m Flying Start, 500m Time Trial and Individual Pursuit.
Chris Burns will also have a packed schedule, racing in the 200m Flying Start, 1km Time Trial, Individual Pursuit, Scratch Race and Omnium.
Additionally, Grimes, Timothy and Burns are scheduled to compete in the M/WC1-5 750 Team Sprint event together.
Ireland Team – 2024 Para-cycling Track World Championships
Ronan Grimes (MC4) – 200m Flying Start, 1km Time Trial, Individual Pursuit, Scratch Race, Omnium, W/MC1-5 Team Sprint
Richael Timothy (WC3) – 200m Flying Start, 500m Time Trial, Individual Pursuit, Scratch Race, Omnium, W/MC1-5 Team Sprint
Chris Burns (MC2) – 200m Flying Start, 1km Time Trial, Individual Pursuit, Scratch Race, Omnium, W/MC1-5Team Sprint
Katie George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal (WB) – 1km Time Trial, Sprint, Individual Pursuit, Sprint
Josephine Healion and Linda Kelly (WB) – 1km Time Trial, Sprint, Individual Pursuit, Sprint
Martin Gordon and Eoin Mullen (WB) – Sprint, 1km Time Trial, Individual Pursuit
Damien Vereker and Mitchell McLaughlin (WB) – 1km Time Trial, Individual Pursuit
The full competition schedule is available - click here