UCI Paracycling Track World Championships Update - Day 1

Update on Irish athlete performances from the UCI Paracycling Track World Championships taking place in Montichiari, Italy

In the evening session on the opening day of the UCI Paracycling Track World Championships in Montichiari, Italy, Catherine Walsh and Fran Meehan set a new Irish record in the Female tandem 1km individual time trial. The pair clocked a time of 1:13,520 which left them in ninth place overall

Irish Team Manager, Denis Toomey, commented, "Great result for the girls with New Irish Record to boot. First real test for new "Cunga" tandem designed specifically for the girls and good indicator for their focused event the 3k Pursuit on Sunday."

Michael Delaney and Con Collis also set a new Irish record in the Male Tandem 1km individual time trial. Delaney and Collis recorded a time of 1:05.522 shaving 2 seconds of the previous Irish record. Their performance ranked them seventh in the event overall.

Commenting on the performance of Delaney and Collis, Toomey said, "Training during the week indicated that the lads were in great form and to knock nearly 2 seconds of their old Irish Record confirmed that."

Andrew Fitzgerald and Damien Shaw set a new PB in clocking a time of 1:09.062 in the Male Tandem 1km individual time trial. The pair finished 19th overall in what was their first outing as a pair in a major championships.

Following the race, Andrew Fitzgerald commented, "It was a good start to championships for us and we are delighted with PB. Damien was just drafted in February so the performance today augurs well for the future. We are now looking forward to our other main event the 4k pursuit."

In the morning session of the opening day of competition at the UCI Paracycling Track World Championships in Italy, Ireland's Cathal Miller came tantalisingly close to a ride off for a medal. The Artane man finished first in his heat and shaved 7 seconds off his own Irish record in the C5 4km individual pursuit. Miller's time of 4:45.319 left him in fifth place and just outside a ride off for a bronze medal.

Ireland Team Manager Denis Toomey, commented on Miller's performance, "A great performance by Cathal who was so unlucky not to get in the medal ride off and could have had an even faster time if he had not lost so much energy getting past his opponent when he caught him."

Colin Lynch also knocked 7 seconds off the Irish record for the C2 3km individual pursuit and was just 0.7sec off qualifying for a ride off for a bronze medal.

Lynch clocked a time of 4:00.925 and like Miller finished first in his heat. Following the race Lynch commented on his performance, "Delighted with my time, disappointed not to have broken the 4 minutes as that would have given me a ride off."

Chris Burns, in his first foray into international competition, clocked a respectable 4:22.384 in the C3 3km individual pursuit. Burns' display seeded him second in his heat and 16th overall.

Speaking on Burns' performance, Denis Toomey said, "A big ask for Chris having being drafted in to the squad at the last minute to make up a team for the Team Sprint. He certainly stood up to the mark and has a very bright Paracycling future ahead of him. Today's experience will stand him well in his 1k Time Trial tomorrow and Team Sprint on Sunday."