Australia and New Zealand both found the top step on the podium on day one of the 2024 Oceania Track Championships in Cambridge, New Zealand.

Bryony Botha, Michaela Drummond, Emily Shearman and Ally Wollaston combined to shatter the Oceania Championship Record in the elite women’s team pursuit. The quartet stopped the clock in 4mins 9.210secs, nearly 10 seconds faster than the previous best mark at an Oceania Championships. The time was also the fastest ever set on New Zealand soil.

“We were pretty happy with that one,” said Botha. “We discussed it before and decided we could either catch them and call it a day, or go around them and go for it, and go for the track record.

“Mickey (Michaela Drummond) set us up really well and we kept coming through on schedule, caught the Aussies and tried to pass them as quickly as possible, and then it was a fight to the end.

“That we decided not to just accept the win but go for it, fits us all to a tee. We don’t just want to settle for a win, but we want to achieve greatness.”

Silver went to Sally Carter, Claudia Marcks, Sophie Marr and Keira Will of Australia, with New Zealand’s Hannah Bayard, Belle Judd, Georgia Simpson and Bee Townsend completing the podium.

Daniel Bridgwater, Keegan Hornblow, George Jackson and Tom Sexton made it a New Zealand clean sweep in the team pursuit, taking out the men’s in 3mins 52.155secs. Silver went to John Carter, Graeme Frislie, Conor Leahy and Liam Walsh (Australia) and bronze Kyle Aitken, Marshall Erwood, Nicholas Kergozou and Bailey O’Donnell.

In the elite women’s team sprint Alessia McCaig, Molly McGill and Kalinda Robinson combined to take gold in 48.345secs, ahead of Sophie De Vries, Shaane Fulton and Rebecca Petch (New Zealand) and Deneaka Blinco, Tomasin Clark and Sophie Watts (Australia).

A time of 43.543secs saw Daniel Barber, Byron Davies and Ryan Elliott (Australia) claim gold in the elite men’s team sprint. Silver went to Liam Cavanagh, Jaxson Russell and Patrick Clancy (New Zealand) and bronze to Finn Carpenter, Sam Gallagher and Maxwell Liebeknecht (Australia).

In the elite scratch races, Ally Wollaston claimed her second gold of the day with a strong win over teammate Emily Shearman and Sally Carter (Australia) rounding out the podium. Kelland O’Brien (Australia) improved on his 2020 result to claim the men’s gold ahead of New Zealand’s George Jackson and Marshall Erwood.

In under 19 events Tayte Ryan (Australia) and Liliya Tatarinoff (Australia) won the men’s and women’s sprint. Australia’s Oscar Gallagher and Lilyth Jones took out the individual pursuit titles.

Results – Full Results
Elite Women Team Pursuit
Gold: New Zealand – Bryony Botha, Michaela Drummond, Emily Shearman and Ally Wollaston 4:09.210 – Championship Record (Nicole Shields)
Silver: Australia – Sally Carter, Claudia Marcks, Sophie Marr and Keira Will
Bronze: New Zealand – Hannah Bayard, Belle Judd, Georgia Simpson and Bee Townsend

Elite Women Team Sprint
Gold: Australia – Alessia McCaig, Molly McGill and Kalinda Robinson 48.345
Silver: New Zealand – Sophie De Vries, Shaane Fulton and Rebecca Petch
Bronze: Australia – Deneaka Blinco, Tomasin Clark and Sophie Watts

Elite Women Scratch Race
Gold: Ally Wollaston (New Zealand)
Silver: Emily Shearman (New Zealand)
Bronze: Sally Carter (Australia)

Elite Men Team Pursuit
Gold: New Zealand – Daniel Bridgwater, Keegan Hornblow, George Jackson and Tom Sexton 3:52.155
Silver: Australia – John Carter, Graeme Frislie, Conor Leahy and Liam Walsh
Bronze: New Zealand – Kyle Aitken, Marshall Erwood, Nicholas Kergozou and Bailey O’Donnell (Joel Douglas)

Elite Men Team Sprint
Gold: Australia – Daniel Barber, Byron Davies and Ryan Elliott 43.543
Silver: New Zealand – Liam Cavanagh, Jaxson Russell and Patrick Clancy
Bronze: Australia – Finn Carpenter, Sam Gallagher and Maxwell Liebeknecht

Elite Men Scratch Race
Gold: Kelland O’Brien (Australia)
Silver: George Jackson (New Zealand)
Bronze: Marshall Erwood (New Zealand)

Under 19 Men Sprint
Gold: Tayte Ryan (Australia)
Silver: Alex Schuler (New Zealand)
Bronze: Noah Mason (Australia)

Under 19 Men Individual Pursuit
Gold: Oscar Gallagher (Australia) 3:17.019
Silver: Magnus Jamieson (New Zealand)
Bronze: Daniel Morton(New Zealand)

Under 19 Women Sprint
Gold: Liliya Tatarinoff (Australia)
Silver: Jodie Blackwood (New Zealand)
Bronze: Caitlin Kelly (New Zealand)

Under 19 Women Individual Pursuit
Gold: Lilyth Jones (Australia) 2:23.768
Silver: Mya Wolfenden (New Zealand)
Bronze: Sophie Maxwell (New Zealand)