FLYING track cyclist Jessica Laws is now a world recorder holder.
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The Kiewa sprinter shaved 9/1000s of a second off the flying 200 metres at the national titles last week averaging just under 60km/h for the trip.
The world record comes in what has been a stellar fortnight for Laws — a clean sweep of her three events at the masters nationals and being named Victorian Female Masters Cyclist of the Year capped on Wednesday night with the Victorian Masters Athlete of the year gong.
Laws said she was in shock when announced as the winner.
“It was like one of those horrible Academy Award speeches I was lost for words but did get to thank Kevin (husband) and Seb (son) who were watching the live streaming of the awards in bed at home,” she said.
“I was chuffed to get down to the last three for the masters athlete of the year, let alone win it.”
Laws last year won two gold medals at the world championship and will again target the sprint events in Manchester later this year.
“Last year at the nationals I rode in a lot of events but around April we decided to focus purely on the sprints,’ she said.
“It certainly paid off — my 500 metre time trial was a three-year personal best and in the team sprint we won by two seconds.
“When I got to the head to head sprints I could treat it like a real sprint race — get a bit tricky around the track and add a bit of tactics to the ride.”
Laws said the world record was further proof the new-found sprinting focus was paying off.
“I’d set Australian records before and knew I was riding well,” she said.
“I did an interview in the lead-up to the masters and said I expected that a few world records might be under threat and to their credit Cycling Australia was there to ratify the times, ASADA to do the drug testing.
“The long-term aim is to ride under 12 seconds, 11.80, and if I can do that then I will be very hard to beat at the worlds.
“They are at the end of the European track season in October so I’ll have to keep sharp by racing the indoor series in Melbourne and hope for the best.”