Cycling: Sergent, Shanks smash national pursuit marks

Alison Shanks will race Jamie Neilson in tonight's individual pursuit final. Photo / Hawke's Bay Today

Olympians Alison Shanks and Jesse Sergent have smashed the New Zealand men's and women's individual pursuit records at the New Zealand track championships at Invercargill today.

Sergent, who won gold at the recent World Cup meet in Beijing, qualified fastest for tonight's final in a time of four minutes 16.714 seconds, bettering the record set by Hayden Roulston of 4min 21.281sec set at last year's championships.

Sergent's time was the second fastest in the world this year.

The Palmerston North rider will take on Westley Gough (East Coast North Island) in tonight's final, while Waikato Bay of Plenty's Sam Bewley and teammate Peter Latham will ride off for the bronze.

Otago's Shanks, who also won gold in Beijing this year, smashed her own New Zealand record, qualifying fastest for tonight's final with a ride of 3min 31.265sec, bettering her record of 3min 36.405sec set at last year's meet.

Shanks will take on rowing convert Jamie Neilson of Waikato Bay of Plenty in the final.

Auckland's Kaytee Boyd will be up against Rushlee Buchanan of Waikato Bay of Plenty in the ride for bronze.

Former rowing Olympian Sonia Waddell made her nationals debut this morning, finishing sixth fastest in a time of 3min 47.695sec, under the watchful eye of husband, Rob.

Olympic gold medallist Sarah Ulmer was also trackside watching the event that she still holds the world record of 3min 24.537sec set at the Athens Olympics in 2004.

Ulmer has the fastest time ever by a New Zealander, however New Zealand records must be recorded in New Zealand.

Day 3 morning session results:

Men

4000m individual pursuit qualifying: Jesse Sergent ( West Coast North Island) 4min 16.714sec 1, Westley Gough (East Coast North Island) 4:21.778 2, Sam Bewley (Waikato/BOP) 4:23.119 3, Peter Latham ( Waikato/BOP) 4:23.878 4.

Women 3000m individual pursuit qualifying: Alison Shanks (Otago) 3:31.265 1, Jamie Neilson (Waikato/BOP) 3:37.558 2, Kaytee Boyd ( Auckland) 3:39.925 3, Rushlee Buchanan (Waikato/BOP) 3:43.945 4.

- NZPA