Welsford stars as Australia secure double pursuit glory in Pruszkow

Australia struck gold in both pursuit events at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Pruszkow on Thursday.

Samuel Welsford, Kelland O'Brien, Leigh Howard and Alexander Porter set a world record in the men's pursuit, crossing the line in three minutes and 48.012 seconds.

The quartet lowered the previous best time set by Australia at last year's Commonwealth Games, leaving Great Britain – who included three-time Olympic gold medallist Ed Clancy in their line-up – to settle for silver.

"We actually rode pretty well, we were only a couple of tenths shy of what we did in Rio with our full Olympic package, but that's just an indication of how good the Australian ride was," Clancy told BBC Sport after the final.

It was the same one-two finish in the women's final, Australia's Ashlee Ankudinoff, Georgia Baker, Amy Cure and Annette Edmondson holding off a late rally from the British foursome.

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— UCI Track Cycling (@UCI_Track) February 28, 2019

Welsford also enjoyed individual success in the men's scratch race, claiming gold ahead of Dutchman Roy Eefting. New Zealander Thomas Sexton completed the podium.

In the men's keirin, Matthijs Buchli produced an impressive finish to secure his second gold medal in Poland – he had already helped Netherlands to glory in the men's team sprint on Wednesday.