Golden treble for Gate and Andrews

The New Zealand track cycling team had their third stellar evening session in succession, this time winning gold and silver in the men’s 40km points race, gold in the women’s keirin and silver in the women’s scratch race.

That haul gives the cyclists 13 medals during the Games, including a record eight gold. And don’t forget: the road racing and mountain bike events are yet to come.

Even in a squad full of heroes two have stood out – Aaron Gate and Ellesse Andrews. They’ve each won three golds. In previous Commonwealth (and Empire) Games stretching back to the first, in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1930, only Yvette Williams (1954), Gary Anderson (1990) and Darren Liddel (1998) have won three golds for New Zealand at one Games 

As a caveat, let’s note that Andrews helped the women’s team pursuit win a silver medal. She stepped in at the last moment so the team could field the mandatory four starters after one rider had been injured a few days earlier.

And Gate may yet add to his tally because he’s slated to start in the road race and th time  trial.

Andrews was incredibly strong in the keirin. She started at fourth wheel back and with two laps to go took off. That seemed very early, but Andrews is so quick and so strong that she held off two such fine closers as Englishwoman Sophie Capewell and Canadian Kelsey Mitchell. 

Though it all looked very well planned, Andrews said she was not always sure she’d reach the line first.

“When I made that attack I was just holding on and hoping I would be able to hold on to my lead and push all the way to the line.” 

In the end Andrews held off Capewell by five-hundredths of a second. It was a small margin, but enough. Mitchell did not get a look in. 

Gate totally ruled the 40km points race. He took the lead early, kept picking up points regularly and was never headed. In fact, he was so comfortably ahead that on the last lap, which counts for double sprint points, he was able to work with Stewart so Stewart got the maximum 10 points and elevated himself to the silver medal position.

A feature of the race was how well Gate, Stewart and Corbin Strong worked together. They think clearly, react quickly to changing situations and are also outstandingly quick. 

Michaela Drummond very nearly made it a golden trifecta for New Zealand in the session when she took the silver medal in the 10km scratch race. It was an unusual event because a crash at about the halfway point stopped the race forced Bryony Botha out, denting New Zealand hopes.

When the race resumed with 20 laps remaining, Drummond and Emily Shearman worked well together and Drummond’s strength earned her a medal, behind Englishwoman Laura Kenny. 

Drummond said it was “very scary” after the crash. “Seeing my team-mate go down and hoping she was okay. And then the plan had been for Bryony to lead me out. We had to come up with plan B. 

“I decided I would follow whoever looked strong. Laura looks strong so I followed her and Emily was taking care of all the breakaways, so everything was covered.”

Drummond said winning the medal was very important to her. “The last 12 months have been really hard, with more lows than highs. There’s no words to describe how happy I am now.” 

Earlier Nick Kergozou finished a very competitive fifth in a high-class men’s 1000m time trial.