Men lose team pursuit Ashes final as women shine

Roger Vaughan | July 31, 2026

Australia’s team pursuiters have had mixed fortunes on day one of the Commonwealth Games track cycling.

The men suffered a surprise loss in their Ashes final as England gained some revenge for the Paris Olympics, where Australia beat Great Britain for the gold medal.

The Australian women successfully defended their Games title, overhauling New Zealand and breaking their own Commonwealth Games record.

After qualifying fastest, Olympic champions Oliver Bleddyn and Conor Leahy partnered with Blake Agnoletto and James Moriarty for the final.

England pulled away late and won in three minutes 47.092 seconds, breaking the Games record, and Australia clocked 3:48.223.

Sophie Edwards came out of the pursuit quartet who also qualified fastest and three-time Games gold medallist Georgia Baker took her place.

Felicity Wilson-Haffenden, Claudia Marcks and Alyssa Polites joined Baker in comfortably beating New Zealand for the gold medal.

Australia rode 4:10.658 and New Zealand clocked 4:12.775. 

“Bloody awesome – I couldn’t ask for much more. We came in here wanting to win gold, but it’s easier said than done,” said women’s coach Ash Ankudinoff, a former team pursuit world champion.

“We made up a good plan and the girls executed it to an absolute ‘T’.

“It’s an exciting bunch. I never cracked an Olympic medal, but we have a good bunch.

“It’s just a step in the right direction – look out LA and we’re excited for the next two years.”

Ankudinoff lauded Wilson-Haffenden, a former junior time trial world champion on the road, a massive engine for the Australian team.

“She’s an incredible asset to the team. I remember going to the junior worlds with her as a coach,” Ankudinoff said.

“To watch her grow into an incredible bike rider, I’m excited for what she can do, not only in two years but maybe towards Brisbane.” 

Kane Perris and his pilot Luke Zaccaria won bronze in the men’s tandem B 1km time trial, while Scotland delighted the crowd by winning the first gold of the track program in the event ahead of Wales.

Australia started the track cycling well earlier on Thursday, putting themselves in gold medal contention across six of the seven day-one events.

They qualified fastest in the men’s team sprint and the two team pursuits, while Tara Neyland also posted the quickest time in the C4-C5 3000m individual pursuit on the way to winning gold.

Australia posted the fourth-fastest time in women’s team sprint qualifying and will race for bronze.

Para-sport veteran Jess Gallagher, with Jacqueline Mengler-Mohr piloting, took silver behind New Zealand in the women’s tandem B sprint.