Records fly on day two at Para Track Nationals

An All Comers record to reigning world champions Jessica Gallagher (VIC) and Pilot Madison Janssen (QLD) and a national record to teenager Allan Gordon (NSW) highlighted the final day of action at the 2017 Cycling Australia Para-Cycling Track National Championships at Melbourne’s DISC Velodrome.

Reigning world champions and Paralympic bronze medallists Jessica Gallagher (VIC) and Pilot Madison Janssen (QLD) set an All Comers record (fastest time on Australian soil) in Flying 200m qualifying with 11.105secs, just outside their own world record.

The might of the rainbow jersey was too much in the final against Rachel Henderson (SA) and Isabella Dashorst (SA) with the pair winning in two straight heats.

“It was really special to wear the rainbows today with Mads, it was our one chance, so it was a really exciting day for us,” said Gallagher who was beaming post race in her rainbow bands. At March’s World Championships in Italy, the pair famously took gold in the women’s sprint, setting a new Flying 200m world record in the process after just seven months on the bike together.

In August, the duo then claimed one of Australia’s seven Paralympic track medals on the Rio Velodrome, making Victoria’s Gallagher Australia’s first summer and winter Paralympic medallist adding to her slalom medal from the 2010 Winter Games.

“It was as little disappointing, we wanted to come out and break our personal best and world record but we had a puncture in the qualifying and in the restart we did a really good time, just but just quite didn’t have that kick as we’d given it all in that first effort,” Gallagher said.

“It is always funs doing a match sprint, little but of pressure being world champions and wearing the rainbow jersey today, but happy to come away with the win.”

Photography: Con Chronis