Aguascalientes, Mexico- On the fourth day of the Pan-American Track Cycling Championships, U.S. riders brought their medal count up to eleven for the competition when the women took the track in the Individual Pursuit and Madison.
Reigning UCI Track World Championships Individual Pursuit bronze medalist Kelly Catlin (Arden Hills, Minn.) decisively took the gold medal with a time of 3:23.1, clocking the third fastest time in History in the Individual Pursuit.
"It was fantastic to have two USA jerseys on the IP podium, and our success from the team pursuit onward will certainly be a result of the entire team's incredible momentum at Pan-Ams. After all, it's almost impossible to slow down when you have an entire team cheering you on," said Catlin of the competition.
“We had another fantastic day today. Kelly Catlin rode the third fastest time in history in an individual pursuit with a 3:23 to take home the gold. That is an amazing achievement,” said Gary Sutton, USA Cycling’s Head Coach for their Women’s Track Endurance Program.
In the race for bronze, reigning national champion Jennifer Wheeler (Seattle), triumphed with a time of 3:34.
“It’s an honor to represent my country and stand next to Kelly, one of the world’s best, on the podium,” said Wheeler of her inaugural Pan-American Championships.
In the women’s Madison, the dynamic duo of Kimberly Geist (Allentown Pa.) and Christina Birch (Los Angeles) claimed the bronze medal.
When asked about the race, Birch and Geist agreed, “It’s great to start the Olympic qualification process with a podium. We raced as smart and as strong as we could.”
Mandy Marquardt and Daniel Holloway also had strong performances today both coming In 5th in their respective races, the Flying 500m and the International Omnium.
The Pan American Championships are held annually for member nations of the Pan American Cycling Confederation. Riders competing in the Pan American Cycling Championships are selected by their respective national governing bodies and provide another avenue for athletes to qualify for World Championships. A lineup of 10 men and seven women are representing Team USA over the five-day event, which started Aug. 29 and will run through Sept. 2, 2018 at the Aguascalientes Mexico at the Bicentennial Velodrome.
Follow @USACycling across all channels for the latest on Team USA.
About USA Cycling (usacycling.org)
USA Cycling is the national governing body for the sport of cycling in the United States and oversees the disciplines of road, track, mountain bike, cyclocross, and BMX. With a mission to develop the sport of cycling in the United States at all levels and to achieve sustained international racing success, USA Cycling supports enthusiasts just beginning in the sport to seasoned professionals. The organization administers the identification, development, and selection of cyclists to represent the United States in international competition, and equally important is its support of amateur bike racing through grassroots development programs and the provision of critical infrastructure to run organized racing. Recently, USA Cycling broadened its mission to support enthusiasts and the events in which they participate like gran fondos and fun rides.
USA Cycling is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., at the center of U.S. Olympic movement with peer institutions such as the United States Olympic Committee, U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, and dozens of other U.S. National Governing Bodies. USA Cycling began in 1920 as The Amateur Bicycle League of America and evolved through the decades to become United States Cycling Federation in 1975 and ultimately USA Cycling, Inc. in 1995. USA Cycling's roughly 60,000 members are comprised of racers and cyclists of all ages and abilities, coaches, officials, mechanics, and race directors.
Please contact Kelly Fox with questions at apalermo@usacycling.org
