By Paul Osborne

Five-time Paralympic champion Kieran Modra won gold in the one kilometre Tandem Time Trial at the Australian Para-cycling Track National Championships in Melbourne ©Getty ImagesDecember 19 - Five-time Paralympic champion Kieran Modra made a positive start to his transition to the sprint event, taking the gold medal in the one kilometre tandem time trial at the Australian Para-cycling Track National Championships in Melbourne in a blistering 1min 3.134sec, alongside partner Jason Niblett.


The pair fell just short of the Australian record, set by Modra, of 1:03.120 and just missed out of the qualification time needed to gain a place at the inaugural event at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year.

"We are very happy with our time as the last time we rode we got a 1:06, so it was a big improvement our there for us today," said Modra, who has been working with former Australian sprinter Niblett for six months.

"I have no doubt we will get it [qualifying time], but we just have to work harder.

"But regardless of the qualifying times, we still have the worlds and we will just keep using the stepping stones along the way."

London 2012 champion and two-time world champion in the tandem time trial Felicity Johnson claimed her fourth consecutive national crown alongside new partner Holly Takos in a time of 1:11.932.

Felicity Johnson (left) claimed her fourth national title with victory in the tandem time trial ©Getty ImagesFelicity Johnson (left) claimed her fourth national title with victory in the tandem time trial
©Getty Images



"I'm really happy with the time, it is the first proper time that Holly and I have posted and it is really excited having the chance to ride with a new partner and have that relationship blossom and grow," said Johnson.

"I am really going to embrace the opportunity to work towards being in the 2014 Commonwealth Games team."

Reigning world champion Simone Kennedy picked up here third consecutive gold medal in the C3 category with an Australian record breaking time of 43.142, just two-tenths of a second outside the world record, in the 500 metre time trial.

London 2012 pursuit gold medallist Susan Powell clocked 41.451 to win her fifth consecutive women's C4 gold medal, whilst Andrew Falconer posted a time of 1:23.087 to easily defend his C2 title by a whopping margin of over 15 seconds.

The C3 men's final saw London 2012 champion David Nicholas also defend his crown, winning in a time of 1:13.739, with Ben Ellen taking gold in the men's C4 time trial final.

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