Australia out to defend team pursuit world title

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Australia was the last of thirteen teams to make their way onto the Cali track in the team pursuit qualifying yesterday at the Track World Championships in Colombia with reigning world champions Glenn O'Shea and Alex Edmondson plus debutants Mitchell Mulhern and Miles Scotson posting a time of 4 minutes 01.516secs which was the second fastest time behind Denmark to book a place in the final.

The quartet will face Casper Von Folsach, Lasse Hansen, Rasmus Quaade and Alex Rasmussen, who set a new track record of 4mins 0.176secs in qaulifying, to decide the 2014 world champions.

The Australians time was just 0.99 seconds ahead of Russia (4:01.615) who face New Zealand (4:02.056) for bronze.

"This might not be one of the youngest but it's one of the least experienced teams in terms of a World Championships level that we've had in the last nine to ten years," Head Coach Tim Decker said. "Yes, a lot of the other teams have either two Olympic champions or four Olympic representatives so we're probably down on that side of it.

"But we haven't used that as an excuse, instead as a challenge. And that's what I've put to the boys, all their preparation has been pretty good in the lead up, they're in good condition and there should be no reasons why we're shouldn't be in that top four or fighting it out for the win if they put it all together on the day," Decker said.

In the past 12 years Australia and Great Britain have enjoyed enormous success in the team pursuit as only Denmark, in 2009, has been able to break their stranglehold on the event. The reigning Olympic champion British team led by dual Olympic champion Ed Clancy finished eighth in qualifying, three seconds behind Australia's time.

The Men's final is the second event on Night 1 of the meet which begins at 6:15pm in Cali, Colombia.

Update: Luke Davison will take the place of Miles Scotson in the final for Australia.