Orla Walsh has won the elite women’s sprint at the National
Track Championships in Dublin, defending the title she took last year.
Walsh, a former international rider with the team pursuit
set-up who has switched to sprinting in recent years, was fastest in qualifying
by about half a second. She later went up against Deirbhle Ivory (UCD Cycling
Club) in the best-of-three fight for gold and silver.
The head-to-head battle for the bronze medal as an all UCD
Cycling Club affair as Emer McMullan went up against Nikki Taggart; the club
mates turning rivals in the scrap of a coveted championship medal.
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In the gold-silver battle, the opening sprint saw Walsh beat
Ivory comfortably in the end, though the UCD Cycling Club rider took a robust
approach and kept her rival Walsh (Nopinz Motip Race Team) pinned high on the
track for a time.
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In the second sprint, Walsh led from the front and while she
was pushed very close by Ivory, all the way to the line, it was Walsh who won
again. That secured the gold medal, 2:0, with Ivory taking the silver.
The battle for bronze between Taggart and McMullan saw
Taggart take the first sprint. And in the second sprint, when McMullan went
early, Taggart got back on terms, coming off her rivals wheel to win again.
That gave her a 2:0 victory that secured the bronze for her.
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