French on song for Oceania Championships

By Greg Johnson

Mark French has put a lackluster performance at last weekend's UCI Track World Cup in Sydney behind him to dominate the Men's Sprint qualifying at the Oceania Track Cycling Championships in Melbourne. French posted a blistering time of 10.168 seconds (70.81 km/h), nearly three-tenths faster than his nearest rival Canada's Travis Smith who crossed the finish line in 10.461 sec (68.83 km/h).

French backed up the performance in the Men's Team Sprint qualifying when he and team-mates Daniel Ellis and Jason Niblett posted the fastest time of 45.880 seconds (58.06 km/h) ahead of fellow Australian's Shane Perkins, Scott Sunderland and Joel Leonard who posted a time of 45.925 (58.01 km/h).

Meanwhile World Champion Mark Jamieson of Tasmania dominated the Individual Pursuit qualifying ahead of New South Wale's Philip Thuax in second.

For full coverage of Oceania Track Cycling Championships click here.