McCulloch posts fastest time on New Zealand soil

Kaarle McCulloch has earned time trial gold at the 2018 Oceania Track Championships in Cambridge, New Zealand this week with her first sub 34 second ride and the team sprint title with Stephanie Morton.

In the team sprint McCulloch and Morton posted the fastest time ever set on New Zealand soil in qualifying with 32.650 seconds, just a tenth off the Australian Record, before posting another flying two laps of the track to claim the title in 32.766secs.

In her fourth appearance of the day, McCulloch then powered to a personal best in the 500m time trial of 33.848, going under the 34 second mark for the first time in her career.

“It feels really good,” an elated McCulloch told Cycling Australia having collected her second gold of the day.

“I had a really good start doing the nomination time for the Commonwealth Games in the standing lap and I feel I took a lot of pressure off myself with that.

“Steph and I were a tenth of a second off the Australian Record so as a team I think we are heading in the right direction.”

When lining up for her first standing start of the day McCulloch was undeterred as she set off in the time trial final unware of what a ride it would be.

“To back the team sprint times up with the 500, and to finally go under 34 seconds it has been a career goal, so I’m really stocked,” McCulloch added.

“I was actually quite nervous coming in to Oceania Championships because we hadn’t done any racing so to get this out of the way it proves I have done some good work in the off season and gives me confidence heading towards the Commonwealth Games.

Immediately after crossing the line McCulloch was unsure with her performance having heard part of the time via the velodrome announcer before realising she has actually ridden the ride of her life to set a new personal best.

“When I crossed the finish line all I heard was 848 so I thought I have had a shocker here and ridden 34.848, then I saw the 33 and my heart just skipped a beat.

“I have been searching for that my whole career, so it is also heading in the right direction for the Commonwealth Games and hopefully I can go a bit faster there.”

Fellow NSW Institute of Sport cyclist Nicholas Yallouris joined Australian teammates, Kelland O’Brien (VIC),  Jordan Kerby (QLD) and Leigh Howard (VIC) to set the eighth fastest time in history of 3mins 52.421secs on route to gold in the team pursuit.

Nicola Macdonald and Josie Talbot jumped into the Australian team for the Women’s team pursuit claiming silver.

In the U19 events Talent athlete, Thomas Cornish joined the Australian Team Sprint which took out gold.