A punctured lung couldn't stop Auckland's Bryony Botha from climbing the podium at the World Track Cycling champs in Paris, only narrowly missing out on gold.
Bryony Botha won gold at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games earlier this year. Photo: Photosport
Botha has finished second in the women's individual pursuit just pipped by Germany's Franzika Brausse.
The New Zealander came from behind to gain the narrowest of leads with one lap remaining before the German rallied to edge Botha out.
Botha won the gold medal in the same event at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games earlier this year before suffering a punctured lung in a crash during the scratch race which hampered her preparation for the world championships.
"I didn't know what to expect here or what form I was in. I was a little concerned with my lung after that crash as it can be career-ending so I was quite happy to get back into training and find a bit of form," said Botha.
"I had more time off that I wanted and the build-up was different as I got sick in the middle of it. So, it wasn't super-great and therefore I had no idea what I could do today," she said.
"I was super-stoked to do a 3:19 in qualifying and make the gold medal ride. It was a bit gutting to find out I had got in the lead with a lap to go but I left absolutely everything out on the track."
She's already looking ahead to next year.
"I would like to think I have the potential to be a world champion. I want to keep working on it and hopefully next year will be my year."
Botha, 24, is the first New Zealand woma to win an individual pursuit medal at the world championships in a decade.
New Zealand female riders have a strong history in the event dating back to a silver medal for Madonna Harris in Japan in 1990, with Ulmer winning gold in Melbourne in 2004 before Alison Shanks won two world titles and a silver in the event between 2009 and 2012.
She will return to the velodrome tomorrow on the final day of competition to compete in the Points race.
Aaron Gates successful season has continued after winning four gold medals at the Birmingham Games. Photo: Photosport / Andrew Cornaga
Meanwhile Aaron Gate has won a bronze medal in the men's omnuim.
The medal though only came after a nervous wait as the judges had to count back the points accrued during the 25km race.
It's Gate's fourth world championship medal having won the event in 2017 and also having won silver medals in 2013 and 2021.
His bid to push for a top two finish was scuppered by a flat tyre in the closing laps.
Gate had positioned himself to go with a final surge seven laps from the finish by ultimate winner Ethan Hayter and Frenchman Benjamin Thomas, when he was forced down on the bottom of the track to avoid another rider.
"It was super-frustrating at the time. I must have picked up some grit or debris and was enough for the front tyre to go. I was hoping it would stay inflated long enough to get to the finish - in the end it was enough to hold on to third," said Gate.
"Luck was on my side a few times today. In hindsight the flat was a bit gutting as I did not have a final crack to win but at the same time, I am still pretty happy how it went."
"It's been a long season with one race to go which is 200 laps in the Madison with Campbell Stewart who is in really good form. Hopefully my legs recover and we can give it a good nudge and another shot at that rainbow jersey."
-RNZ
