Keira Will wins maiden elite national title in omnium, Lee Sze Wing wins gold

Keira Will has recorded a breakthrough national title-winning performance in the elite women's omnium at Darebin International Sports Centre in Melbourne.

The 19-year-old (Lidcombe Auburn Cycle Club) clawed back an early points deficit throughout the omnium following an 11th-place finish in the opening scratch race to win the national champion jersey by eight points ahead of Sophie Edwards (Adelaide University Cycling Club).

Hong Kong's Lee Sze Wing won the omnium overall on 116 points, four clear of Will.

The 2024 elite women's omnium national championships podium. (Picture: Con Chronis)

Japan's Tsuyaka Uchino rounded out the podium in third on 109 points.

"I'm so excited to win the national championship. There was a much stronger field than we usually get so I knew it was going to be a very tough race, which left me surprised but overjoyed to win," Will said.

"I was a bit disappointed with my scratch race result but each race was a new opportunity and I came back with a strong tempo and elimination race which put me back in contention.

"The international riders were so strong, but my main focus was on the Australians and competing for the national title."

Will's tempo race and elimination race collective points haul of 72 points were the catalyst for a national championship run.

That charge was finished impressively in the points race by the Sydneysider, who scored 20 title clinching points in the last five sprints, including winning the final double points sprint.

Will said she put her debut appearance at the UCI Track World Championships in October for the ARA Australian Cycling Team to use on Friday.

"Track worlds was such a great experience to learn and grow as a rider. The field we had this weekend was much stronger than our usual domestic field, which meant everything I learnt at worlds about competing in such strong fields was very valuable," Will said.

"That experience gave me the confidence that I could compete against the best, but I still had to go out and do it."

In the junior women's omnium, it was Gold Coast Cycling Club's Amelie Sanders that prevailed by 23 points to win the national championship.

Feature picture: Con Chronis/AusCycling