Australia's fastest sprinters cement dominance on the track

Australia’s fastest sprinters cemented their dominance, while Queensland’s Neve Parslow announced herself as a bona fide superstar-in-the-making at a busy night of the 2026 AusCycling Track National Championships in Brisbane on Friday. 

After record-breaking rides in qualifying, South Australia’s Leigh Hoffman and Victoria’s Alessia McCaig comfortably saluted in their respective finals to claim national titles at the Anna Meares Velodrome.

Hoffman recorded the fastest flying 200m ever ridden on Australian soil on Thursday, and his class was undeniable, defending his national sprint title with a comprehensive victory over Tayte Ryan.

Hoffman, Ryan and James Brister made an all-South Australian podium.

It was Hoffman’s seventh national track title.

“Definitely had some good competition, the boys had some personal bests coming in,” he said. 

“I missed out on the keirin double last year, so I’m really keen to try and get that tomorrow.”

Victoria’s McCaig cemented her dominance, claiming her third consecutive national sprint title after also breaking the women’s championship record in qualifying. 

McCaig claimed her ninth national title with victory over Queensland’s Deneaka Blinco, adding to previous wins in the keirin, 500m time trial and team sprint.

McCaig clinched another women's sprint crown.

"I'm over the moon right now. Really stoked to get that done today," McCaig said. “There is a lot of depth in the field at the moment, it really is incredible. 

“I moved to Brisbane last year, the support team have been incredible and I think it is a testament to them.”

Western Australia’s Conor Leahy showed his class in the elite points race to claim his 11th national title, taking three laps to beat Queensland duo Rohan Haydon-Smith and Noah Blannin.

Conor Leahy took charge during the men's points race.

“I thought my race was over in the first 30 laps,” Leahy said about early attacks from Blannin, Haydon-Smith and another Queenslander, Liam Walsh.

“I struggled to get on top of those Queensland moves and almost took myself out of the race and thought I would bluff it a bit.

“Then I started to turn it on, managed to get a lap and some points. I’m pretty happy with it, it will soak in tonight.”

New South Wales’ Nicole Duncan won her first individual national title in the elite women’s elimination race, holding her nerve in a strategic ride, before sprinting past South Australia’s Sophie Edwards in the final lap. 

The field goes six-wide during the women's elimination race.

“I’m pretty speechless; I was sore from three days of racing,” Duncan said. “I was hoping she didn’t go long, my legs were pretty sore, so when she went to the front it was my kind of sprint.

“This is where I thrive, I left it as late as possible because I knew I could get the kick on her.”

Emerging Queensland star Parslow, who claimed the road race and time trial junior national championship double in Perth earlier this year, looked dominant in the elimination, riding from the front to claim the green-and-gold jersey.

The 18-year-old held off a strong finish from New South Wales’ Elsie Apps and is already eyeing off her next victory.

The junior women's elimination at Anna Meares Velodrome.

“My plan was to stick to the front, I managed to pull it off perfectly,” Parslow said. “I’m looking for the road race and time trial Oceania titles as well.”

The ACT's Angus Withington took out the U19 sprint final over South Australia’s Mitchell Stephens despite qualifying ninth earlier this morning.

“I’m pretty stuffed, but very excited for the win. I qualified ninth for the flying 200m. I came through, and rode each race well,” Withington said.

“It was tough at the start, knowing I qualified ninth, I knew I had beaten them all before, I was confident, I just had to do it smart and I knew I could win it.”

Paralympic and world champion Korey Boddington took out his fourth title of the championship with a win in the Para cycling scratch race, but it wasn’t without drama.

A close finish between Boddington and Donohoe.

Alistair Donohoe (C5), returning to the track for the first time since the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, made Boddington (C4) work for the victory after surprising the champion rider in the final lap.

“I came out of the last corner and thought I had dropped them by half a lap, and the old boy was hiding behind me and came out of nowhere and worried me a bit,” Boddington said. 

“It was super fast, the pace was high, everyone is getting stronger every year.”

Victoria’s Tara Neyland (C4) took out the women’s Para cycling scratch race in front of Alana Forster (C5).

The Brisbane Cycling Festival is proudly supported by Brisbane City Council through Brisbane Economic Development Agency and the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland. 

Photos: Con Chronis