By IANS,
New Delhi : Australia won two more gold medals in cycling, creating a record in the men’s team sprint at the Commonwealth Games here Friday.
Australian men (43.772 seconds) defeated New Zealand (44.239) for the gold in the event at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex velodrome and bettered the 44.282 record set by Scotland in Melbourne 2006.
Later, West Australian Cameron Meyer equalled Anna Meares’ three gold medals in Delhi with a scintillating win in the men’s scratch race.
In men’s team sprint, Jason Niblett replaced Shane Perkins, who withdrew from the race following his two-fingered salute to the officials after being disqualified in the Keirin event. Niblett won the three-rider event.
Scott Sunderland won his third medal of the Games. He had collected a gold in the 1000m time trial and a silver in the sprint.
New Zealand kept it close to take the team sprint silver, despite a heavy fall involving second-pull rider Sam Michael Webster. His rear tire exploded as he pulled off, causing him to land heavily on his hip and right shoulder.
Malaysia won their third cycling track medal, beating Scotland to the bronze.
Australia’s track cyclists wrapped up Friday with 12 gold medals from the 14 possible on the track. There are four more road events still to be decided and one more gold for Australia means that the team will take their tally past their haul at Melbourne Games.
Meanwhile, Alison Shanks got New Zealand their first gold with victory in the women’s individual pursuit event.
Shanks pipped 2010 world track cycling championships silver medallist Wendy Houvenaghel (Northern Ireland) in the 3,000m race-against-the-clock to win her career’s first Commonwealth Games gold in 3 minutes 30.875 seconds (3:30.875).
Shanks, who came in fourth at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, steadily improved her split times to overcome an early lead set by Houvenaghel.
In the battle for third place, Tara Whitten of Canada outpaced Jaime Nielsen of New Zealand and collected her second bronze with a time of 3:35.810.