Cycling: Henderson bronze with envy

8.35am

MANCHESTER - Frustrated triple bronze cycling medallist Greg Henderson has experienced it all before -- and he's sick of settling for third when the Commonwealth Games roll around.

Henderson was underwhelmed after the men's team pursuit easily collected a medal here today, with only five nations lining up in the qualification round at the National Cycling Centre.

New Zealand were a class apart from Wales and Scotland but could not muscle into the final after favourites England and then Australia smashed the Commonwealth Games record to make tomorrow's gold medal ride-off.

Henderson won bronze in the team pursuit and points race at Kuala Lumpur four years ago, but a third medal gave little cause for celebration.

"You don't spend four years of your life to get third, everyone's here for that one colour. It feels a bit hollow."

He said the superior preparation of the leading nations would continue to condemn New Zealand to pick up the scraps.

"We're contracted to other (professional) teams so we can't do a 100 per cent build up.

"We come together from all over three of four weeks out from competition and try and make the world happen.

"I don't like to make excuses but that's the reality and it's not going to change, we're amateurs in a professional world, up against multi-million dollar teams."

Henderson has been in the pursuit squad since 1995 and although the team has got progressively faster they still cannot catch up with the world and Commonwealth pacesetters.

"We go in with great expectations because you don't want to go in with a negative but it happens time and again..."

New Zealand was also third at Victoria, Canada, in 1994.

Henderson was hoping "for a different colour" when the points race is held on Friday. He will also lineup in the 20km scratch race tomorrow.

He said while their time today (4min 07.689sec) might have secured a medal at the world championships two years ago "you just know everyone is getting faster.

"The other teams can spend more time together if you could we'd get faster to but it won't happen."

Henderson said he also felt for the New Zealand supporters at home and at the velodrome.

"It's disappointing for the New Zealand public, everyone is following us and then they go 'Oh those bloody Aussies beat you again'. What can you do? It's not like we didn't try and bust our hearts."

New Zealand were the first team to obliterate Australia's mark of 4min 13.405sec at Kuala Lumpur ago but their record only lasted a matter of minutes.

England, last year's world championship silver medallists, booked their final's berth with a 4min 04.920sec ride before the hosts were upstaged by the defending Commonwealth champions.

Australia, who crashed out in their last two international outings, produced a flawless run, stopping the clock at 4min 03.934sec -- almost 10 seconds inside the old mark.

Henderson, Lee Vertongen, Hayden Roulston and Matthew Randell recorded New Zealand's second fastest time at sea level, following the 4min 06.224sec set at the Sydney Olympics.

New Zealand were automatically granted the bronze medal, due to the size of the field and the disparity in class between themselves and the Welsh who were 20 seconds behind.

The Scots were almost a minute slower than the Kiwis.

Head coach Max Vertongen was satisfied the cycling medal count was rolling but "you're happy and not happy.

"What's bronze... the second loser?"

New Zealand's Hayden Godfrey and Roulston exited the last eight of the men's individual pursuit when they were caught by England's Paul Manning and Australian Brad McGee respectively.

Godfrey finished fifth overall and Roulston seventh.

Sarah Ulmer, New Zealand's best medal chance on the track, will set her qualifying time in the 3000m individual pursuit tomorrow.

MEN:

Track Sprint Minor Final 9-12th:

1 Justin Grace (NZL) 11.518 seconds, 2 Craig Maclean (Sco), 3 Alwyn Mcmath (Nir) Disqualified, 4 Anthony Peden (NZL) Did Not Start

Track 4000m Individual Pursuit Semifinal:

Paul Manning (Eng) 4 minutes 21.184 seconds Q bt Hayden Godfrey (Nzl) 4min 32.974sec, Bradley Wiggins (Eng) 4min 19.168sec Q bt Peter Dawson (Aus) 4min 27.539sec, Brad Mcgee (Aus) 4min 18.194sec Q bt hayden roulston (nzl) 4min 28.878sec, Luke Roberts (Aus) 4min 20.086sec Q bt Kieran Page (Eng) 4min 38.771sec.

WOMEN:

Sprint Quarterfinal:

Kerrie Meares (Aus) bt Hsu Min Chung (Mas), Victoria Pendleton (Eng) bt Melanie Szubrycht (Eng), Anna Meares (Aus) bt Denise Hampson (Wal), Lori-Ann Muenzer (Can) bye


- NZPA

Full coverage:
nzherald.co.nz/manchester2002

Medal table

Commonwealth Games info and related links