Australia defends its world title in men's team pursuit
HONG KONG (AP) Australia defended its title in the men's team pursuit on Thursday at the world track cycling championships.
Sam Welsford, Cameron Meyer, Alexander Porter and Nicholas Yallouris won in 3 minutes, 51.503 seconds, beating last year's runner-up New Zealand by more than two seconds in the final at the Hong Kong Velodrome.
''We had a time in mind. We had a 3:52 in mind to ride ... and we beat it by a second and that was enough to win the world title,'' Meyer said.
Italy won the bronze medal, beating Olympic champion Britain.
In the women's team pursuit, Kelly Catlin, Chloe Dygert, Kimberly Geist and Jennifer Valente of the United States retained their world title in the closet race of the evening, beating Australia by only .417 seconds. New Zealand took bronze.
Azizulhasni Awang of Malaysia, the Olympic bronze medalist, won the men's kerin for his first major gold medal.
''I've been trying for 10 years, since 2007 until now, and finally it's my time to be a world champion,'' Awang said.
Fabian Hernando Puerta Zapata of Colombia was second and Thomas Babek of the Czech Republic took bronze.
In the men's 15-kilometer scratch race, Adrian Teklinski of Poland won gold. Lucas Liss of Germany took silver and Christopher Latham of Britain got bronze.
