Jody Cundy won a remarkable 14th consecutive world kilo title as Britain’s para-cyclists enjoyed a golden night on the second day of the UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow.
Neil Fachie, racing on home boards in Scotland, claimed a 17th world title, piloted to glory by Matt Rotherham in the men’s B kilo time trial ahead of fellow Brits James Ball and Steffan Lloyd, before Jaco Van Gass pipped team-mate Fin Graham to gold in the men’s C3 kilo time trial.
Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl then made it two golds in as many days as they beat fellow Brits Lora Fachie and Corrine Hall in the women’s B individual pursuit.
These combined ‘super’ world championships are the first in which the track cycling and para-track cycling has been fully integrated, and the Brits took full advantage of the partisan home crowd as Fran Brown and Daphne Schrager also picked up silver medals.
Cundy has owned the men’s C4 kilo crown since making his debut in 2006. But after a spell of injury and illness the 44-year-old has considered stepping away from the sport in recent months before rediscovering his mojo and using it to claim yet another rainbow jersey.
“It’s probably the best one purely off the fact I’ve had an absolute shocker of a year,” Cundy said. “I’ve been properly low, depression, just things in life but I’ve had massive support from the team, my fiancee, kids, my mum and dad and a great network within British Cycling…
“It was getting to a point where I had absolutely no motivation every time I got on the bike and it was getting harder and harder and I just wasn’t looking forward to it…
“But thankfully I’ve kind of turned my world around and here we are with another world title in the bag. This is probably the best one.”
Cundy said next year’s Paraylmpics is likely to be his swansong but, having just ridden his best time at sea level at 1 minute 3.648 seconds, he added: “You can’t say never, and if I’m getting better then it will be hard to walk away.”
“If I get to Paris and I can get on the podium or whatever, it would be a nice way to go out.”
Crowd favourite Fachie took a 17th career world title, and credited the Glasgow crowds with spurring him on as he and Rotherham needed a big push in the final few laps to beat Ball and Lloyd by 0.042 seconds.
“This is my first big race (back at the velodrome) since 2014 and the Commie Games which was one of the absolute highlights of my career so just to be back here is amazing, and it’s a first world title with my son in the crowd watching so that was special too.
“The crowd was amazing, that’s the reason we won today. We’ve got no idea on the bike if we’re up or down (on time), all we could hear was the crowd roaring.
“I assumed we were going really well because they were cheering, I had no concept of us being behind but the crowd got behind us and we just nicked it.”
Van Gass took his fifth world title as he beat Graham by 0.263seconds, and then soaked in the adulation of the crowd.
“It really is amazing,” the 36-year-old said. “Every time a British rider steps to the plate the crowd goes wild and honestly I needed them today, they drove me through it. It’s a great experience and what the sport deserves.”
Unwin and Holl won the women’s B kilo on Thursday, and doubled up with a convincing win over Fachie, who is married to Neil, and Hall.
“We knew how the race was going to go, we knew we would be behind in the first half and hopefully bring it back and to be able to execute that how we wanted to was amazing,” Unwin said.
“Yesterday it was nice to see the endurance and the speed in our legs and that gave us the confidence to know we could come in today and do what we wanted.”
Llori Sharpe claims historic gold for Jamaica at the 2024 Elite Caribbean Cycling Championships
Olympic medalist Zharnel Hughes and Jamaican girlfriend Shenel Francis announce they are expecting their first child
Great Britain’s Olympic medalist Zharnel Hughes and his Jamaican girlfriend Shenel Francis are set to become parents, as the couple revealed their exciting news on Instagram. On Sunday, Shenel shared a photo of her advanced baby bump, confirming that the pair are eagerly expecting their first child together.
Shenel, a dental hygienist and entrepreneur, has been by Hughes' side throughout much of his record-breaking career. The couple has been together since at least 2018, though they only went public with their relationship in September 2022. Earlier this year, they took their relationship to the next level, moving in together in early March 2024.
Shenel, who graduated with honours in 2021 from the University of Technology in Kingston, Jamaica, is not only a dental professional but also a businesswoman. She launched her own luxury hand-poured scented candle brand, Esenek.co Candles, in 2021. The couple’s bond has been a strong source of support for Hughes, who has continued to achieve major milestones in his athletic career, including breaking the long-standing British 200m record in 2023.
Hughes, a silver medalist at the Tokyo Olympics as part of Team GB's 4x100m relay squad, has often spoken of Shenel's influence on his life. In a 2023 interview with GQ, Hughes mentioned how Shenel was present as he meditated before one of his historic races where he surpassed John Regis' 200m record, setting a new British mark of 19.73 seconds.
Before his relationship with Shenel, Hughes was linked to European sprint champion Dina Asher-Smith. However, his relationship with Shenel has flourished, with both supporting each other's professional and personal endeavors.
Even though he is a resident of Great Britain, Hughes, who attended Kingston College in Jamaica, purchased a home in Jamaica earlier this year.
Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) donates JMD$1 million to Jamaica Cycling Federation for equipment upgrade
The Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) has made a significant contribution to the development of cycling in Jamaica by donating JMD$1 million to the Jamaica Cycling Federation. The grant, aimed at boosting the sport’s progress, was used to purchase vital racing and training equipment, including state-of-the-art smart trainers.
The Jamaica Cycling Federation expressed its gratitude for the financial assistance, highlighting the importance of this investment in elevating the sport’s standards. Smart trainers have become increasingly popular in cycling programs worldwide due to their advanced capabilities, which are integral to modern training methods.
“These smart trainers are game changers,” said a spokesperson for the Federation. “They allow riders and coaches to approach training in a more scientific manner, offering features like measuring and tracking energy output, simulating race routes, and even enabling coaches to remotely access training data.”
This technological upgrade not only enhances training efficiency but also opens up new possibilities for coaches to closely monitor and optimize athletes' performance. The equipment's ability to simulate real-world racing conditions and provide accurate data on rider performance will help Jamaica’s cyclists prepare for international competition with cutting-edge tools.
The JOA's donation represents its ongoing commitment to supporting the development of underrepresented sports in Jamaica. “This contribution from the JOA is truly appreciated and confirms the continued support for the growth and development of sports like cycling,” the Federation said.
The equipment is expected to help Jamaica’s cyclists better prepare for regional and international competitions, as the nation continues to push for excellence across various sporting disciplines.
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