Barker claims European junior pursuit gold

Elinor Barker clinched European junior individual pursuit gold on the first day of competition in Sangalhos, Portugal.

The Welshwoman smashed her personal best by three seconds to qualify in 2-25.735. In the final against Anna Knauer (Germany), she clocked 2.28-189 to hold off her rival by just under three tenths of a second yesterday.

17 year old Barker shot into the limelight last September, claiming the silver medal in the world championship time-trial in Copenhagen last October.

She also won the Omloop van Borsele, a top junior women's stage race, in April.

Amy Roberts qualified fifth, narrowly missing out on a shot at the bronze medal ride-off.

There is likely to be more silverware to come. This morning, Barker, Roberts

and junior world road race champion Lucy Garner qualified fastest in the team pursuit, narrowly ahead of Russia, with a new British junior record. They race for gold this afternoon.

Silver for men's pursuit quartet

The Great Britain men's junior team pursuit quartet of Sam Lowe, Chris Latham, Jon Dibben and Tao Geoghegan Hart took the silver medal.

Having qualified second to Denmark, they went faster in the final, stopping the timer at 4-13.816. But the Scandinavian rivals proved too strong.

After qualifying sixth, Danielle Khan was knocked out in the quarter finals by Mar Manrique (Spain).

The European U23 and junior track championships run till Sunday.

Results

European U23 and junior track championships

Women's junior individual pursuit

1. Elinor Barker (Gbr) 2-28.189

2. Anna Knauer (Ger) 2-28.442

3. Manon Bourdiaux (Fra) 2-30.111

4. Kseniya Dobrynina (Rus) 2-30.486

5. Amy Roberts (Gbr) 2-30.560

Men's junior team pursuit

1. Denmark 4-12.195

2. Great Britain 4-13.816

Jon Dibben, Tao Geoghegan Hart Chris Latham, Sam Lowe

3. Germany 4-13.465

Women's junior team pursuit qualifying

1. Great Britain 3-35.292

2. Russia 3-35.341

3. Poland 3-38.393

Related links

Barker and Garner take wins in Omloop van Borsele