Ellesse Andrews celebrates bronze in the kilo time trial at the UCI Track World Championships. Photo: Simon Wilkinson/SWpix.com
Double Olympic track cycling champion Ellesse Andrews has won bronze in the women's 1000m time trial at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Santiago, Chile.
In a historic day for cycling, the women's event was staged over the same longer distance as the men for the first time.
"I've been excited for the kilo to come in for women," said Andrews, who secured her first podium finish of the championships.
"Historically, it's only been kilo for men and 500m for women. It was cool to put down a PB and walk away with a bronze medal."
In the final, Andrews was a fraction slower than in qualifying, clocking 1m :04.909s, just 0.15 seconds off silver.
Standout Dutch rider Hetty van de Wouw dominated the event to claim a trio of world titles in Chile. She also won gold in the women's sprint and women's team sprint.
Kiwi Andrews is a strong chance to add to her medal tally, when she races again in the keirin on the final day of the competition.
In other results for the New Zealand team, Bryony Botha and Sami Donnelly were seventh in the two-rider Madison.
Newcomer Prue Fowler was fifth in her debut in the 4000m individual pursuit, clocking 4m 32.902s in qualifying, only two seconds outside the New Zealand record.
Former world champion Campbell Stewart was 14th place in the men's omnium.
