Skinner on track for cycling success

CAPITAL teenager Callum Skinner was due back on track this afternoon to bid for gold in the youths' sprint after making his mark at the British Junior and Youth Track Cycling Championships in Wales.

The Edinburgh Racers rider celebrated his 16th birthday in style yesterday when he powered around the Newport Velodrome to hack more than a tenth of a second from the British record, clocking 11.317 seconds in the 200 metres qualifying time trial.

The performance is all the more impressive given the rule that restricts the gears youth riders are permitted to use and it was more than a tenth quicker than the next rider, Kian Emadi, who pipped Skinner for the bronze medal last year.

Skinner, a pupil at James Gillespie High School, then progressed through the opening round to move into the last eight. There, after winning the first leg against Halesowen's Thomas Baker, Skinner suffered a puncture but remained calm, cruising home in the restarted second ride to book his semi-final slot.

Skinner's coach Gary Willis said: "I was very impressed with his performance. He was very business-like, he remained calm when he punctured and he just got on and did the job with no fuss."