Meares reclaims Australian 500m crown

Anna Meares has took gold in the 500m time trial, reclaiming her crown and notching up her 14th elite Australian Title on the opening day of competition at the Australian Track Cycling Championships in Sydney (February 5 to 11, 2007). The last time the 23 year-old raced the 500m time trial at Sydney's Dunc Gray Velodrome was at last year's World Cup in November where she lowered the world mark she set to win gold at the Athens Olympic Game.

Tonight, Meares, who missed the event last year due to injury, was the last to start and was on form from the first pedal stroke stopping the clock at 34.542 seconds. Her time was one second faster than defending champion, Kristine Bayley, 23, who rode 35.548 with Sydney's Kaarle McCulloch, 19, claiming bronze in a time of 35.650 in her first year in the senior ranks.

"I really wanted to get the title back because the 500 is my pet event and my favourite so it was hard for me to sit it out last year," said Meares. "So it was extra special to win it back and be able to say the only ones I've lost are the ones I didn't compete in."

Meares has also noted she wants to take home gold in every event she contests. "I want to add [wins] all of them," she said of her plans to dominate the sprint, teams sprint and keirin events in coming days. "I want to go home with a clean sweep and I know it's going to be really tough but I'm going to give it a good try.