It was a sensational week for Sutherland cycling product Tom Cornish who scorched his way around the Junior World Track Cycling Championships in Switzerland on his way to set a world record, win a world title and a silver medal.
Cornish’s star is on the rise after the 2018 junior Australian champion track sprinter took to the world stage at the UCI World Cycling Center in Aigle on the weekend.
The Southern Cross Cycling Club member won sprint silver on Saturday in a personal best time of 10.041 seconds, which broke the seven-year-old Australian record. However, teammate Leigh Hoffman would narrowly eclipse this mark two rides later with a stunning 10.037.
Unfortunately for Australia, the pair met in the semi-finals, which Cornish took in three closely fought heats.
“It was tough. We'd battled each other at Oceanias and nationals before but he would always get the better of me. So to come out on top was a bit of a surprise,” said Cornish, who was edged by Poland’s Laczkowski in the final.
“I couldn't have imagined winning sprint silver. My goals coming into the sprint were to be top five so I was pretty happy when I made the gold-silver final. My goals for the sprint final were to make sure I gave him a run. I was pretty buggered from the semi against Leigh though.
“I felt happy with silver but also a little disappointed. I'd come so close to the gold.”
Less than 24 hours later, Cornish produced a super fast 1 minute, 00.489 second ride to break the junior kilometre time trial world record on his way to winning his maiden world crown.
“To break the world record and win the kilo, I am pretty excited. [I] never thought I'd be able to achieve something like this,” added Cornish, 18, who thanked coach Shane Kelly, himself a three-time kilo world champion who won Sydney 2000 Olympic bronze the year Cornish was born.
“I'd like to thank Shane for coaching me through the junior worlds campaign, my parents and family for supporting me and everyone else in the team for being there and cheering me on.”
