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Australia dominate in the velodrome with double gold

By Michael Hann

GLASGOW (Reuters) - Annette Edmondson and Scott Sunderland won gold for Australia at the Chris Hoy Velodrome on Saturday but England were left subdued after four of their Olympic gold medallists failed to get on the podium.

The 22-year-old Edmondson claimed victory in the women’s 10km scratch race with a time of 12 minutes 53 seconds, beating compatriot Amy Cure and Wales’ Elinor Barker.

England’s Olympic team pursuit champions Dani King and Laura Trott finished fourth and 11th respectively, while another Olympic champion Joanna Roswell, who won gold in the 3,000m individual pursuit on Friday, finished 19th out of 24 riders.

"I didn't know we had all done so well until I looked on the board and (had) seen the replay,” Edmondson told reporters. “The aim was to get first and to do anything else was a bonus."

Sunderland took gold in the 1,000m time trial to retain the title he won in Delhi four years ago, while New Zealand duo Simon van Velthooven and Matthew Archibald finished second and third.

England's Ed Clancy, a gold medallist in the team pursuit at London 2012, had to settle for fourth.

"It was difficult coming in as the reigning champion. I had really good form and training," Sunderland said. "It was certainly difficult coming into the last lap. I started to get really light-headed. The crowd were really cheering me on but I didn't know what my time was.

“It took me a lap to realise I had won. I could half see the numbers and I was scanning up and down. The time I rode was spectacular, I felt."

In the men’s 40km points race final, New Zealand’s Tom Scully won gold with 98 points ahead of Isle of Man’s Peter Kennaugh and fellow Kiwi Aaron Gate.

On Sunday, Anna Meares, who became Australia’s joint most successful track cyclist by winning gold in the 500m time trial on Thursday, goes head-to-head with compatriot Stephanie Morton in the women’s individual sprint.


(Reporting by Michael Hann; editing by Toby Davis)