Sam Welsford wins takes gold in a thrilling men’s 15km scratch at the Commonwealth Games
IT was an insane finish and one Sam Welsford will not forget any time soon after the West Australian stormed home to claim Australia’s seventh gold medal in three days on the velodrome.
AUSTRALIA won its seventh gold medal in three days on the velodrome with a dramatic victory to Sam Welsford in the men’s 15km scratch race.
The Western Australian who helped anchor the men’s team pursuit world record ride on Thursday timed his sprint to perfection to win a thrilling race in the home straight.
His victory was as much about teamwork as it was individual brilliance and speed after Cameron Meyer and Leigh Howard covered constant attacks and reeled in England’s Ethan Hayter on the final lap.
“That was such a hard race, it was on from the start and I had to be patient and my teammates are amazing,” Welsford said.
“Cam Meyer and Leigh Howard, hats off to them, they were in every move and looked after me all race. I think Australia, the whole team is so tight nit and it’s showing in the results this week.
WHAT. A. FINISH.
— 7CommGames (@7CommGames) April 7, 2018
🇦🇺 Sam Welsford rockets home to win gold in the Men's 15km Scratch Race. One of the best performances of #GC2018 #7CommGames pic.twitter.com/BqPfwC1UkW
“Coming into the last lap my visor was falling off and I was mid-sprint so didn’t want to adjust it, and it fell off in the last couple of minutes anyway.
“I’m over the moon, my second goal and this race is such a lottery, 60 laps and lucky enough I caught him last lap.”
Earlier, Jacob Schmid won a bronze medal in the men’s sprint thanks to a change of luck.
Something eventually had to go right for Schmid and it was as if destiny decided it would be on debut at these Commonwealth Games.
Two years ago the Victorian track sprinter was a reserve for the Rio Olympics but missed out on final selection.
Then in January he and his family got back from an overseas holiday to find their house and car had been completely trashed.
And just three weeks ago a high-speed training crash in Adelaide saw him hurt his shoulder and almost cost him his spot at the Gold Coast Games.
But that change of luck finally arrived this week.
It started when Matthew Glaetzer pulled out of the final of the team sprint and Schmid got the call-up as Australia won a bronze medal.
And tonight, cheered on by his wife and one-year-old daughter Hazel in the stands, he became a bronzed Aussie in his own right with a stunning performance in the individual sprint.
As the rest of the Aussie team came to grips with reigning world champion Matthew Glaetzer qualifying fastest only to be eliminated in a shock result in the first round, Schmid quietly went about getting the job done and affectively saved the day.
Ironically the rider he had to beat for the bronze medal was Malaysian Muhammad Sahrom who had beaten Glaetzer.
The 24-year-old qualified sixth fastest, won his first round against Canadian Stefan Ritter then disposed of three-time sprint world champion Ethan Mitchell from New Zealand in the quarter-finals in the breakout performance of his career.
Schmid’s bronze complimented a gold and silver medal to Kaarle McCulloch and Stephanie Morton in the women’s 500m time trial.
Other medals went to Australian tandem cyclists Jess Gallagher and Madison Janssen who took silver in the women’s 1km para time trial, and Bradley Henderson and Thomas Clarke who won bronze in the men’s para sprint.
Australia’s three riders - Georgia Baker, Amy Cure and Alex Manly - missed the podium in the women’s 25km points race with Manly the best placed in fourth behind Welsh gold medallist Elinor Barker.
Originally published as Sam Welsford wins takes gold in a thrilling men’s 15km scratch at the Commonwealth Games
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