Bobridge wins Individual Pursuit

Australia completed a clean sweep on the first day of the track racing at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, taking all three gold medals on offer in the men's 4,000m individual pursuit, the women's 500m time trial and the men's 1,000m time trial - with all three events producing world class performances and times that suggest the new Delhi track is fast.

Jack Bobridge lived up to the tag of favourite in the individual pursuit and qualified fastest with a stunning 4:14.845 ride - the first of three Commonwealth Games records set on day one, this one slicing a second-and-a-half from Brad McGee's 2002 mark.

That set up a final featuring two promising young cyclists, with 22-year-old Jesse Sergent of New Zealand facing Bobridge in the back straight.

And what followed was as thrilling as some of the best pursuit finals, with the 21-year-old Bobridge pushed all the way by Sergent. On the line Bobridge just got it, by less than half a second, stopping the clock at 4.17.495 to Sergent's 4.17.893.

"I'm only 21 but I've done three world titles and I have done a lot of world-class times, and I feel a little bit of pressure to perform," said Bobridge. "To come out here and perform and actually live up to it gives us real motivation for the team pursuit.

"To get the record off McGee was fantastic," added Bobridge. "McGee showed his class every year he rode in the pursuit, and any record you break is fantastic."

Another youngster, 19-year-old Michael Hepburn (Australia), took the bronze medal, catching Sam Bewley (New Zealand) in the ride-off.

Anna Meares won the women's 500 metre time trial with a time of 33.758 - a Commonwealth Games record, beating her own mark from 2006. She beat fellow Australian Kaarle Mcculloch, who set a time of 34.780, and Becky James of Wales, who won her first senior medal at a major championships with a time of 35.236.

"I have improved a lot since Melbourne four years ago," said Meares. "It's a great feeling to be able to walk away with a Commonwealth Games gold medal. It's a result of a lot of hard work, not only from myself, but a team of people really that help gut us on the track."

Scott Sunderland gave Australia its third gold in the men's kilometre time trial, with a time of 1:01.411 - another Commonwealth Games record. Malaysia's Mohd Rizal Tisin took the silver and Dawkins Edward James of New Zealand took the bronze with a time of 1:02.777.

Dean Sean Edwards (South Africa) and Mark Peter Christian (Isle of Man) won their respective qualifying heats for the men's points race.

The top 12 finishers of each qualifying heat will compete for the gold medal in the points race final on Wednesday.