Perkins overpowers Hoy for keirin gold

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Australian Shane Perkins handed his country its fourth gold medal of the 2011 UCI Track Cycling World Championships and took his first ever senior world title, soundly defeating Olympic champion Chris Hoy with a well-timed turn of speed in the last lap.

Teun Mulder (Netherlands) handed the host country its first medal of the week in bronze, just edging out Britain's Matthew Crampton.

"To beat Sir Chris Hoy is fantastic and it's my first world championship, so I'm absolutely ecstatic," Perkins said.

Perkins, 24, has been a part of the successful Australian team for years, claiming national and Commonwealth titles, but had always been on the sidelines when it cames to the worlds.

"For a few years I have felt like the odd one out missing out on a world title but I was pumped before that final and the tactics worked out really well and now I have a rainbow jersey."

It was Crampton who hit out first in the final lap, but Perkins was able to squeeze past him through the middle, leaving Hoy only one path through - the long way over the top.

"I stayed pretty calm and sort of waited and pushed Chris into the wind, which gave me a run at Crampton," Perkins explained. "With 200 metres to go I gave it everything I can, and here we are."

It was an emotional win for Perkins whose wife Kristine, the sister of Athens Olympic Games sprint and keiring gold medallist Ryan Bayley, gave birth to the couple's second child a month ago.

"There's been a few sleepless nights but I am just so happy," said Perkins. "It was pretty awesome to see Anna win and to have one of my own (gold medal) is amazing."

Aside from a non-participation in 2009, it is the first time Hoy will walk away from a world championships without a gold medal in ten years.

Twice a junior world champion, it has been seven years since Perkins accepted a rainbow jersey.

Round 1

Round 1 repechage

Round 2

Final