NINE events, eight medals and one world record – Bathurst Cycling Club members Rosemary Hastings and Marian Renshaw certainly impressed at the World Masters Games.
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Competing at the Avantidrome in Cambridge as part of the New Zealand hosted event, Hastings won four gold medals in the 70-74 years events, while Renshaw earned two golds, a silver and a bronze in the 60-64 years division.
The highlight for Hastings came in the individual pursuit when she bettered her own women’s masters 8 world record.
She clocked a time of three minutes, 2.181 seconds to beat New Zealand rival Roi Speed by more than 10 seconds.
“I managed to better my time that I did in Sydney last month. It was only two-hundredths of a seconds, it takes longer to say that than it actually takes to happen,” Hastings said.
“But two-hundredths of a seconds, heavens, I can’t pass that up. It was very, very exciting.”
Hastings also won gold in the sprint, five kilometre points race and the time trial, getting just as much enjoyment from the event itself as she did standing on the podium.
“The atmosphere was wonderful, there were lots of very, very friendly people and the venue was superb. It’s only three years old, it was actually opened by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge when they were over here a few years ago,” she said.
“It was so nice to meet new people. We all got on like a house on fire, the women are so friendly.”
Renshaw picked gold for the time trial and sprint, bronze in the individual pursuit and silver in the points race.
She competed in a division which included noted Scottish rider Gwynneth Rixon, a former Welsh and British representative.
“Marian particularly, just did marvellously well,” Hastings said.
“She’s been training hard, her husband did a lot of motor pacing with us which really helped, we’d go out in the early mornings.
“She did some very good racing, her age group was very competitive. Gwynneth, who she rode against, she is an ex-Olympian. She rode in the Olympics 40 years ago for Britain and she’s got the Olympic symbol on her bike.”