Another golden day in Glasgow has seen Australia win seven more medals at the velodrome, highlighted by a podium lockout in the men’s 4000m individual pursuit.
Oliver Bleddyn set a new Commonwealth Games record to claim the gold medal ahead of countryman Conor Leahy.
Bleddyn, originally from Perth but now calling Adelaide home, had already broken the Games record in qualifying, going fastest with a time of 4:04.132.
Leahy was just 15 thousandths of a second slower, setting up an all-Australian gold medal match-up at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.
Bleddyn powering to victory in Games record time.
In the final, the teammates were neck-and-neck from the start, separated by less than 0.4 seconds at the halfway point. However, Leahy was unable to hold the rapid pace in the final kilometre, while Bleddyn held steady.
The 24-year-old brought it home to finish with a news Games record of 4:03.898, with Leahy nearly four seconds behind.
Brisbane’s James Moriarty, who had qualified fourth fastest, won his bronze medal match-up against Manxman Matthew Bostock to complete the green-and-gold medal sweep.
After missing out on victory in the team pursuit yesterday, Australia’s endurance men made an emphatic statement today − especially with Bleddyn and Leahy winning on their golden bikes as Olympic team pursuit champions.
The golden bike of Olympic team pursuit champion Oli Bleddyn.
“It’s no real surprise that we were disappointed or had high expectations in the TP,” Leahy said. “We all bounced back really well today. We all put rides out on the track today that we can be proud of.”
Bleddyn savoured the opportunity to race head-to-head against Leahy, something they had done many times at junior level in Western Australia.
“I knew it would be really tough against Conor; it was going to take everything I had and a little bit more, and I managed to get the better of him,” Bleddyn said.
“He’s an absolute animal, Conor. I’ll enjoy [the Games record] while I’ve got it. I’m sure he’ll be ready to take it back as soon as he gets the chance.”
The podium ceremony was a proud moment for the trio, with three Australian flags hoisted while Advance Australia Fair was sung for yet another time at these Games.
“It’s pretty special,” Moriarty said. “It was going through my mind, looking up and seeing the three Australian flags and the yellow kit. It stands out and makes such a mark. It’s just unreal, couldn’t have expected his going into today.”
“It’s probably one of those things you’ll look back on in 20 years time,” Leahy said about racing his compatriot for gold and silver. “It seems like normal now, because we always race each other, but it’s super exciting and I couldn’t be happier for anyone else to win.”
In the women's individual pursuit, Claudia Marcks earned Australia's top placing with fifth. Felicity Wilson-Haffenden had qualified fourth fastest with a time of 4:32.323, but commissaires disqualified her after deeming that tape used to treat her shoulder had modified her morphology.
Separately, Sophie Edwards was disqualified for "using a helmet that has been altered or had any element added or removed in terms of design or form."
Photos: SWpix.com