Video: Irish team pursuiters smash national record at Worlds

The Irish riders have today smashed the national record, going much faster than any Irish line-up has ever done. It's a fantastic achievement and one that comes after they've lost their funding.

 

The World Track Championships has gotten off to a positive start for Ireland with the team pursuiters smashing the national women's record.

On the track in Poland this afternoon the Irish quarter shaved almost two seconds off the old marker; a very significant margin.

It is also proof of their continued rapid development. And it has been achieved at a time when they have lost their Sport Ireland funding.

The four women -  Orla Walsh, Mia Griffin, Kelly Murphy and Alice Sharpe - have been living and training as full time athletes for a prolonged period now.

Much of that time has been based in Mallorca with Cycling Ireland. And today they proved the hard work has been put in and is paying off.

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During the qualifiers today they clocked a time of 4:29.148s for the 4km event. The world record is 4:10.236.

The time the Irish cyclists set today is more than 2.5 seconds quicker than the previous Irish record of 4:31.66s.

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Back in October, 2015, when the Irish record was set, the line-up that broke it featured some of the most successful Irish riders of the last 10 to 15 years.

In that team was Caroline Ryan, a UCI World Cup medal winner and three-time national TT champion.

Riding with her that day were former road race champions Mel Spath and Lydia Boylan, who has since won silver at the Europeans in the madison.

And making up the foursome on the day was a very young Josie Knight, who won a silver medal in the individual pursuit as a first-year junior at the Europeans.

At the time of writing the four Irish women in Poland were waiting to see if their time would be enough to get them through to the next round.

More to follow.

 

 

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