'I wouldn't change a single thing about the day': Liam Walsh soars to dominant omnium national title

There's winning, and then there is whatever demolition job Liam Walsh laid down on the 2024 AusCycling Omnium National Championships at Darebin International Sports Centre in Melbourne.

The Balmoral Cycling Club and Queensland Academy of Sport speedster dominated the entire elite men's omnium, grabbing maximum points in the scratch race, tempo race and elimination race en route to an overall points haul of 157 at the end of the points race.

His final national title winning margin was 36 points more than silver medallist Oliver Bleddyn (Norwood Cycling Club), followed by bronze medallist Blake Agnoletto (Bendigo & District Cycling Club) a further three points adrift.

The national champion jersey is the second of Walsh's career and 2024, and shows that the floodgates might have opened for good after years of minor medals and personal disappointment.

"This feels great, I've chased the omnium title for a long time, so not only to finally win the event I've dreamed of since 2020 but to do it dominantly and emphatically is really satisfying. I wouldn't change a single thing about the day," Walsh said.

"I feel I've gone to another level of late. I've changed coach to Jordan Kerby and we've worked really hard to prepare for the summer, which has obviously started really well, but obviously has a long way to go for me with RoadNats, Tour Down Under, Cadel's, Oceania Track Championships and TrackNats in quick succession."

An early sign of the form and confidence Walsh held was exhibited in the prior day's UCI C2 Omnium, which the 23-year-old won on 160 points, 30 clear of Japan's Naoki Kojima and 36 ahead of fellow Queenslander Declan Trezise.

Liam Walsh is the 2024 elite men's omnium national champion. (Picture: Con Chronis)

But to record back-to-back dominant omnium days is an incredible feat among most of the Australia's best track cyclists and several internationals.

It's another result that helps his case for more international opportunities such as his selection for the ARA Australian Cycling Team to race the omnium at the 2024 UCI Track World Championships, his maiden appearance at the event.

"That day in Copenhagen was a new one. It was obviously difficult but it was an exciting experience so I learnt a lot from it, which I applied here, but I took a lot of positives," Walsh said.

"The biggest thing I brought here was process. I worked really hard into worlds on setting up good race day routines and head spaces, so to bring that here and continue to develop and refine them was a huge asset on a long, hot and exhausting day."

Feature picture: Con Chronis/AusCycling