NATASHA Mullany has finished off the 2015 track cycling season by adding one Australian Championship gold medal and two silver medals to her season tally.
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At the Australian junior Track Cycling Championships in Melbourne last week, Mullany won the gold medal in the JW17 team sprint with Illawarra cycle club team mate and local cyclist, Chelsea Oaten.
“The highlight of the championship for me was definitely winning the JW17 team sprint” said Mullany.
“It was a goal that we set last year and we have worked hard to achieve it.”
In the qualifying round, Mullany and Oaten were the fastest team, 0.18 seconds ahead of the Queensland team.
“Chelsea and I knew that we would have to go faster in the final to claim the title and the gold medal,” said Mullany.
“As it turned out, we rode 0.4 seconds faster and finished 0.28 seconds ahead of the Queenslands team.”
Mullany claimed the silver medal in the JW17 points race and also the silver medal in the JW17 team pursuit.
“The finish to the 15km JW17 points race was very close,” said Mullany.
“The points were spread amongst eight or nine riders, but Jade Haines from Western Australia had secured an unbeatable lead sitting on 13 points after the second last sprint.
“With 10 laps to go, I was tied in second position on seven points with two other girls, so the finishing order in the final sprint would determine the silver and bronze medal.
“I managed to back out and come around the outside of the traffic to claim the three points and secure the silver medal”.
Mullany is now looking forward to catching up on school work and a few weeks rest and recovery before resuming training for the road cycling season which starts with the Australian Mountain Climb Championship in Bright, Victoria after Easter.