2010 Copenhagen World Championships Photos

Hi all,

I was very lucky to get into contact with a guy on Facebook who took some photos of me and other athletes whilst we were competing at the recent 2010 World Track Championships. Paul Sloper is a big fan of cycling and would love to be a full time cycling photographer. I have attached a few (he took alot more) of my favourites and its needless to say that they are great shots! Thanks Paul!

Favourites from Day One - 500m Time Trial

Setting up in the gates. I was fairly nervous before this one as it was the first event of the meet. A few things went wrong in my prep which didn't help the end result. I finished in 6th I believe.

This would have to be one of favourites of the lot, love the catch of the light.

Favourites from day two - Team Sprint

Setting up in the gates. I believe this photo is after the false start and before Anna falls out of the gate. I reckon Gary our coach is telling us to relax after the false start, I was pretty relaxed - clearly Gary was not! Ha-ha!

Again this is one my favourites, great shot!

The loneliest part of the Team Sprint - on my own down the back straight finishing it off. This shot shows how long the straights were in Copenhagen. Also shows how beautiful the track is.

This photo says it all really. Second World Record of the night - the first women EVER to break the 33second barrier and second time World Champion. I was so happy in this moment because it was a realisation that I had great form and that we had put it together under some immense pressure.

Favourites from day three - Sprint Qualifying and rounds through to 1/4 Finals

Sprint Qualifying. I was strangely composed at this stage and that calmness stayed with me right through until the 1/4finals before I suffered from severe cramps. I rode a PB in the QF. I was very happy.

I raced fellow Aussie Emily Rosemond in the first round. I beat her easily. I am at the bottom of the track.

I raced Willy Kanis from the Netherlands in the second round. Willy and I have had some tough races in the past and she has usually beaten me. I knew I would have to ride hard to win as she was the silver medalist at last years World Championships in the Sprint. I won fairly easily again to go through to the 1/4 Finals.

I had a formidable opponent in the 1/4finals in Simona Krupeckaite from Lithuania. Just before this race I cramped so badly I was crying. I had two minutes to get onto the line and I was still cramping as I sat on bike at the start line in this picture. Any calmness that I felt had disappeared very quickly and I was panicky and upset because I just quite simply couldn't put down any power without cramping. Simona defeated me very easily in two straight rounds.

Because I lost my 1/4final match up I had the 5th to 8th final. By this stage I had been constantly moving for over 2and a half hours because of the cramping and I was exhausted. Non-the less I finished 2nd in this round to finish 6th overall. It was a good end to a devastating result.

The last day was the Keirin. I will do a second post a little later today with my favourite photos from then. I have to go training now!

I hope you like and thanks again Paul.

Karls : )