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Last Updated: 2 Apr 2018 - 8:45:17 PM |
Dunlevy and McCrystal win Bronze at Para World Championships
By Heather Boyle, CI Communications Officer
24 Mar 2018,
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MEDAL ALERT
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| 2018 UCI Para-Cycling Track Cycling World Championships. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Barra Olympic Park Velodrome - Day 2 - Finals - Podiums |
Katie-George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal have won a bronze medal in the Women’s B Tandem 3km Individual Pursuit tonight at the at the UCI 2018 Para-cycling Track World Championships today, beating New Zealand into fourth place.
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| 2018 UCI Para-Cycling Track World Championships - Rio de Janeiro Municipal Velodrome, Barra da Tijuca, Brazil - Katie-George Dunlevy piloted by Eve McCrystal of Ireland win Bronze in the Women's B 3km Pursuit final. |
After qualifying for the Bronze medal ride off earlier today, the Irish duo started the 3km race against the clock as favourites, having qualified with a 5 second advantage over New Zealand. In the medal ride off they bettered their time by 2.5 seconds, clocking 3.34.23 on the line. Gold went to Great Britain, leaving the Belgians to settle for silver.
“I’m absolutely delighted,” Dunlevy told us after the race, “we really wanted that bronze medal after the ride this morning. We were positive that New Zealand would up their game; we had to as well.”
While the Irish pair had qualified comfortably for the bronze medal final, they were determined to better their performance from earlier in the day. After the first qualifying round they made a few adjustments to the bike before bettering their time by 2.5 seconds, with a faster time than eventual silver medallists Belgium.
“We had to be realistic coming into this event after limited track time which was not enough to come in and beat the best – which on the day was the brits. But we gave it our all.
“After the first ride we went home and spoke to our coach Neill Delahaye, and we made certain adjustments to the bike. We got on it for the second ride; we just did what I would safely say was the best ride that we have done. We are both very proud of ourselves and are delighted to be coming home with the bronze medal.”
“We really wanted it,” added Dunlevy, “we worked incredibly hard to get that medal, and we are absolutely thrilled.”
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| 2018 UCI Para-Cycling Track World Championships - Rio de Janeiro Municipal Velodrome, Barra da Tijuca, Brazil - Colin Lynch of Ireland competes in the Men's C2 1km Time Trial final. |
Earlier today Colin Lynch finished 15th in the MC2 1km Time Trial with a time of 1.26.577 and Peter Ryan and Sean Hahessy finished 8th in the M B Tandem 4km Individual Pursuit, with a time of 4.25.505. Lynch also competed in the MC2 Scratch qualifiers but will not progress to the MC1-3 Finals on Sunday.
Tomorrow Dunlevy and McCrystal turn their attention to the 1km Time Trial, with both male tandems competing in the men’s event. Sprint specialists Martin Gordon and Eamonn Byrne will be kick starting their world championship campaign with the 1km race, along with Ryan and Hahessy. Ronan Grimes competes in the MC4 Individual Pursuit.
The UCI 2018 Para-cycling Track World Championships take place in the Velódromo do Rio, Brazil from the 22nd – 25th March.
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| 2018 UCI Para-Cycling Track Cycling World Championships. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Barra Olympic Park Velodrome - Day 2 - Finals - Podiums |
RESULTS
W B 3km Individual Pursuit
Gold Great Britain 3.31.685
Silver Belgium 3.35.016
Bronze Ireland 3.34.249
Fourth New Zealand 3.42.433
M B 3km Individual Pursuit
Gold Great Britain 4.12.579
Silver Spain 4.14.814
Bronze Netherlands 4.13.270
Fourth Spain – 4.14.957
Eighth Ireland – 4.25.505
M C2 1km Time Trial
Gold PEREA ARANGO Alejandro (Colombia) 1.13.396
Silver CHERNOVE Tristen (Canada) 1.14.105
Bronze LIANG Guihua (People’s Republic of China) 1.15.672
Irish
Fifteenth LYNCH Colin (Ireland) 1.26.577
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MEDAL RIDE OFF – Dunlevy and McCrystal to battle for Bronze tonight in Rio
News Release, 23rd March 2018
Paralympic and Double World Champions on the road Katie-George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal have qualified for the bronze medal final in the W B Tandem Individual Pursuit at the UCI 2018 Para-cycling Track World Championships today.
Their time of 3.36.776 over the 3km race of truth was enough to rank them third, with bronze within their grasps tonight. The duo will compete against New Zealand who finished 5 seconds adrift in fourth with 3.41.509.
In the men’s event, Peter Ryan and Sean Hahessy finished 8th in the M B Tandem Individual Pursuit, with a time of 4.25.505 for their 4km race. The World Championships take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from the 22-25 March.
Dunlevy and McCrystal have proven their prowess on the road, dominating on world level last year in both the road races and time trials. This year they have switched their attention back to the track and are already guaranteed a higher finish position than their 5th place at the Paralympic Games.
“That was a strong rider there,” said Dunlevy after the qualifiers, “we didn’t know what to expect. We were really up for the gold/silver ride off – we always aim high. We didn’t get that but we are in the bronze medal ride off.”
“I feel it went really well,” added McCrystal, “it’s a year and a half since we last raced on the track, and you don’t know what to expect – but we have trained well and I feel it was a solid ride – there are always improvements. We are in the bronze final – we are going to put our heads down for a few hours, recover and go again.”
The Irish bike will be competing against New Zealand’s Amanda Cameron and Hannah van Kampen who pipped them for fourth place at the Paralympic Games, and they are not taking bronze for granted, despite their 5 second lead ahead of the race.
“We know the New Zealand girls will up their game, but we will as well,” stressed a determined Dunlevy, “we will work on a few things that didn’t happen there - I’m looking forward to racing later and hoping to come away with a bronze medal.”
The bronze medal final takes place at approximately 8pm this evening, Irish time. Also in action is Colin Lynch in the 1km and the Scratch Race qualifiers.
Read more about Katie-George Dunlevy’s cycling journey HERE. The UCI 2018 Para-cycling Track World Championships take place in the Velódromo do Rio, Brazil from the 22nd – 25th March.
RESULTS
W B 3km Individual Pursuit qualifying
First Great Britain – 3.32.151
Second Belgium – 3.34.149
Third Ireland – 3.36.776
Fourth New Zealand – 3.41.509
M B 3km Individual Pursuit qualifying
First Spain – 4.11.037
Second Great Britain – 4.11.30
Third Netherlands – 4.12.493
Fourth Spain – 4.15.889
Eighth Ireland – 4.25.505
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