|
|
|
Last Updated: 2 Apr 2018 - 8:45:17 PM |
O'LOUGHLIN QUALIFIES FOR WORLDS WITH FIFTH PLACE FINISH
By Shane Stokes
21 Jan 2007,
|
Email this article
|
David O�Loughlin secured a place in the forthcoming world track championships with an excellent fifth place in the pursuit race at the Los Angeles track world cup over the weekend.
The Navigators Insurance pro may have been only concentrating on the 4000 metre discipline for five months but has shown strong ability in the velodrome, fuelling hopes that he can secure Olympic qualification.
He was fifth fastest in the qualifying on Friday, finishing 2.44 seconds off the fastest time but just 0.44 away from a place in the fight-offs for medals. Had he made it through to the bronze medal final and replicated his 4 minutes 31.84 qualifying effort, this would have been fast enough to secure the prize.
Indeed only the final winner, Vitaliy Popkov (Ukraine) went quicker in the finals, netting gold with a time of 4 minutes 31.519. He had earlier recorded 4 minutes 29.4 in the heats.
In December, O�Loughlin finished 8th in the Moscow World Cup and these two results combine to earn him a place in the world championships, to be held in Palma de Majorca from March 29th until April 1st.
The Mayo rider also fared well in the points race this weekend, placing second in his heat and sixth in the final. In just over a month�s time he and several other Irish riders are expected to line out in the Manchester World Cup, which runs from February 23rd � 25th.
Los Angeles Track World Cup, ADT Velodrome, Carson, California, USA (January 19-21)
Men's Individual Pursuit (qualifying):
1, Vitaliy Popkov (Ukraine) 4 mins 29.40 secs
2, Fabien Sanchez (France) 4 mins 30.44 secs
3, Sergi Escobar Roure (Spain) 4 mins 30.91 secs
4, Valeriy Valynin (Russia) 4 mins 31.40 secs
5, David O'Loughlin (Ireland) 4 mins 31.84 secs
(20 participants)
Final:
Gold: Vitaliy Popkov (Ukraine) 4 mins 31.519 secs (53.034 km/h)
Silver: Fabien Sanchez (France) 4 mins 37.066
Bronze: Valeriy Valynin (Russia) 4 mins 34.554
4, Sergi Escobar Roure (Spain) 4 mins 34.593
5, David O'Loughlin (Ireland)
Men's Points Race Final:
1, Cameron Meyer, 24 pts
2, Christopher Newton, 20
3, Sergey Kolesnikov, 14
4, Joan Llaneras Rosello, 13
5, Tim Mertens, 10
6, David O�Loughlin, 7
(24 starters)
|
|
|
|
