The New Zealand cycling team have gotten off to a flying start at the Birmingham Games with three medals guaranteed and a fourth bronze a possibility on the opening day of competition after some impressive qualifying runs Friday night NZT.
First up, the women's team pursuit squad qualified second fastest at the Lee Valley VeloPark in London in an impressive performance after their build-up was disrupted earlier this week, with Ellesse Andrews added to the roster to cover Ally Wollaston who was forced to withdraw after sustaining an injury on the Tour de France Femme.
READ MORE: Olympian Andrews takes on cycling double duties at Comm Games
After Andrews - who will line up later Friday evening for the women's team sprint too - dropped out early in the race, the remaining trio of Bryony Botha, Michaela Drummond and Emily Shearman powered on for a time of 4:18.434 - second fastest behind Australia.
They pipped hosts England by 1.407s to earn a spot in the gold medal race.
Following their efforts, the men's team pursuit - made up of Aaron Gate, Jordan Kerby, Tom Sexton and Campbell Stewart - then laid down a 3:49.821 performance to qualify fastest of the six competing nations, 0.975s faster than second-placed England who they will race in the gold medal race also on Saturday morning.
Despite hitting the track just an hour before, Andrews then helped the women's sprint team also reach their gold medal race as she, Olivia King and Rebecca Petch also qualified fastest.
The trio were out of the block with the fastest 250m before notching a slower second leg but a strong finish saw them put together a time of 47.841s - 0.115s faster than Canada.
The men's team sprint then rounded qualifying with a 43.974 performance which initially had them eyeing a gold medal race too before Australia and England snuck in ahead of them, leaving them in a race for bronze with Canada.
It means New Zealand will finish with at least four medals on the opening day of competition in Birmingham after triathlete Hayden Wilde earned Aotearoa's first medal with a silver in the men's triathlon earlier Friday evening.
NZ Cycling team races for medals, Saturday July 30 [NZT]
Women's Team Pursuit - Gold Medal race v Australia, 3:40am
Men's Team Pursuit - Gold Medal race v England, 4:20am
Women's Team Sprint - Gold Medal race v Canada, 4:55am
Men's Team Sprint - Bronze Medal race v Canada, 5:03am
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