Advance Australia Fair continues to be the number one tune at Rio Olympic Velodrome amid the ARA Australian Cycling Team's prolific medal run at the 2025 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships.
The Australian squad's third day of the Championships produced another four world champions, two bronze medallists and a sixth world record of the week courtesy of Tahlia Clayton-Goodie in the C1 Women 1km Time Trial.
It was Erin Rowell's maiden world title in the C4 Women Sprint that proved to be the pick of the four.
Rowell, who qualified second behind Great Britain's Paralympic champion Kadeena Cox, out maneuvered her rival and New Zealand's Siobhan Terry by controlling the sprinter's lane early and putting the power down from the front to win by a bike length.
Clayton-Goodie shattering the C1 kilo world record by nearly eight seconds was more than enough to claim a third rainbow jersey in three days.
Korey Boddington and Emily Petricola are right next to Clayton-Goodie in the three world titles in three days club after winning their respective elimination races comfortably.
Jess Gallagher and pilot Jacqui Mengler-Mohr added a Tandem B Women 1km Time Trial bronze medal to their team sprint gold medal from the opening day, while Gordon Allan also had a taste of kilo bronze in Men C2.
The ARA Australian Cycling Team continues to dominate the medal table and will start tomorrow's final day on 13 gold medals, two silver medals and four bronze medals.
What they said
Erin Rowell:
Honestly, I still can’t quite believe it! I worked so hard this year and had the best team around me, so this one feels really special.
It’s been such a big journey and to finally stand there in the rainbow jersey – it’s just an incredible feeling.
The plan was to get to the front early and take control of the race. I knew if I could own the lane and make her come around the long way, it would put the pressure back on her.
From there it was just about holding my line, committing fully, and backing the work I’d done in training.
Tahlia Clayton-Goodie:
It honestly feels surreal. Winning rainbow jerseys is already such a privilege, but to also hold a world record is very special.
Katie Toft (Great Britain) set the record earlier in the year, and her time really motivated me going into this race.
To have now broken it and set a new benchmark is incredibly humbling. It inspires me to keep pushing and to see just how far I can go.
Feature picture: Simon Wilkinson/SWpix.com