Australian sprinter Leigh Hoffman has finished the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games on yet another high, winning the 1km time trial with a scintillating Games record on Sunday.
Despite not having ridden the event in six years, the 26-year-old from Whyalla dug deep into his hurt locker to produce a scorching time of 58.530, beating Matthew Glaetzer’s previous benchmark by nearly a second.
Calling upon his pedigree as Australia’s former starter in the team sprint – which requires riding a single lap from a standing start – Hoffman began rapidly, then maintained his momentum across the four laps.
Today’s result completes his domination of the Glasgow 2026 track sprint program, adding to his gold medals in the sprint and team sprint, and silver in the keirin.
“I couldn’t have dreamt it any better. Three gold, one silver. I think it’s probably one of the best sprint performances we’ve had at Commonwealth Games,” Hoffman said.
Unlike many of his rivals, Hoffman completed the four laps on traditional handlebars, having not practised the aerodynamic position of the pursuit bars. It symbolised his inexperience in this discipline.
“I did a state championships in 2020 and I think I went a minute-zero-five,” Hoffman said about the last time he competed in the event. “It hurt so bad. So I knew the pain that was going to come.”
Hoffman is more accustomed to racing over two or three laps of the 250m track, whether in the sprint or keirin, or as second wheel in the team sprint.
The depth of his effort was seen plastered all over his breathless face, as he was visibly struggling to recover even during the medal ceremony.
Hoffman tries to recover after his winning effort.
“I went for that first lap and it was already hurting. And then the second lap, I visualised, ‘that’s the team sprint’. The third lap, I was just hurting. And then the last lap is just a complete blur.
“My expectations going into it, I was either going to go really fast, or really slow. I think my sprint speed; it’s taken me to a peak speed and I’ve just carried it home.”
Hoffman was a surprised as anyone in the velodrome to have pulled the result out of the bag.
“I’m normally a one lap, two lap specialist, and now I’ve gone out and done a record-breaking four laps, so who knows, I’ve got no idea.
For the second day running, Tayte Ryan joined Hoffman on the podium in third.
“To go from zero to four laps, a whole kilometre, it just adds another 15 seconds onto an already-brutal 45 seconds. There’s no pain like it in sport, I don’t think.”
In a carbon copy of yesterday’s men’s sprint, fellow South Australian Tayte Ryan claimed the bronze medal behind Hoffman.
With three gold, a silver and two bronze to the Aussie men’s sprint squad – their most successful Commonwealth Games ever – the future looks bright for Australia’s fast men.
Photos: SWpix.com