Jackson finishes Oceania Champs on a high

George Jackson
Photo: SWpix

George Jackson celebrated an excellent competition with victory in the final event, the elite men’s points race at the Oceania Track Cycling championships in Brisbane.

The Cycling New Zealand elite rider was on fire, winning five sprints and placed in three others in the 40km race with points awarded for sprints every 10 laps.

Jackson finished 23 points clear of fellow New Zealand track rider and Black Spoke road rider Tom Sexton, with both riders gaining three laps on the field at the Anna Meares Velodrome.

It brought the curtain down on the continental championship that provided further qualifying pathways for this year’s world championships in Glasgow, which in turn uplock the door for next year’s Olympics in Paris.

Australian Chloe Moran won the double points final sprint to claim the 25km elite women’s points race by five points over kiwi star Bryony Botha, who had a one point lead going into the last 10 laps.

Earlier the New Zealand endurance women had a clean sweep in the women’s elimination race, won by Rylee McMullen over Botha with Sami Donnelly third just ahead of teammate Emily Shearman.

National champion Nick Kergozou was the best of the kiwis in fourth place in qualifying in the men’s 1000m time trial in 1:02.057 with top qualifier Mathew Glaetzer clocking 59.536s, the only rider under the minute mark.

Glaetzer took out the final in 59.432 in an Australian sweep with Kergozou fourth in 1:01.623.