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Jess Varnish continued her comeback from injury with victory in the 500 metre time trial as the British National Track Championships began in Manchester.
The 22-year-old London Olympian, riding for V-Sprint, recorded a time of 34.445 seconds as fellow Great Britain riders Victoria Williamson (VC Norwich) and Dannielle Khan (Solihull CC) took silver and bronze respectively.
“It’s not a personal best but it’s the best I could have done today, I’m just happy to take the win,” said Varnish, who has been out of action with a back injury.
Two-time Olympic champion Ed Clancy (Rapha Condor JLT) was crowned men’s individual pursuit national champion, beating team pursuit colleague Steven Burke (Node4-Giordana Racing) by over a second in a time of 4.26.015 with Joe Kelly (100%ME) third.
In the para-cycling time trials, Jon-Allan Butterworth (Performance Cycle Coaching) set a new world record of 1.05.725 to take gold in the C1-5 mixed 500/1000 metre category as Sophie Thornhill (Sportcity Velo) and pilot Helen Scott (Performance Cycle Coaching) won in the BVI mixed 1000 metre contest with a time of 1.09.714.
“With four laps to go in the final I just gritted my teeth and dug in as much as I could. It was hard, I just went flat out,” said Clancy after his victory.
“It was good to see Steven Burke and Joe [Kelly] riding hard, it’s looking good for the team pursuit.”
Although defending champion Becky James was absent, a strong field was present ready to take the double world champion’s British title.
Team pursuit world champions Laura Trott, Elinor Barker and Dani King (Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling) all featured in an event which appears in the omnium, as did double junior world champion Dannielle Khan after her stunning performance in Glasgow.
But Varnish showcased her class with an effort nearly half a second quicker than the closest rider, world team sprint bronze medallist Williamson. Khan continued to showcase her promise with third, fourth-tenths of a second further back.
The individual pursuit proved to be a clash between Olympic team pursuit champions with 28-year-old Clancy narrowly beating the younger Steven Burke, a bronze medallist in the event at the 2008 Beijing Games. Joe Kelly caught Sandy Wallace Cycles’ Silas Goldsworthy to complete a podium of Great Britain athletes.
Triple London Paralympic silver medallist Butterworth stormed to a new world record en route to the para-cycling C1-5 mixed 500/1000 metre title ahead of Shaun McKeown (GS Avanti) in second and Crystal Lane (Scott Contessa Epic) in third.
Thornhill and Scott were a powerful combination in the BVI mixed 1000 metre event as Paralympic champion Neil Fachie (Ythan CC) and Peter Mitchell (Performance Cycle Coaching) took second with Aileen McGlynn (BC U M) and Lauryn Therin (Champion System) third.
Results
