Leigh Hoffman crowned new sprint king of Australia

Leigh Hoffman has taken up the mantle as the sprint king of Australia, winning his first individual national championship in the elite men's sprint at the 2025 AusCycling Track National Championships in Brisbane at Anna Meares Velodrome.

Hoffman was pushed all the way by a hungry pack of young sprinters, with rising star Tayte Ryan, 19, and fellow ARA Australian Cycling Team rider Ryan Elliott, 20, leaving nothing in reserve throughout the semi-finals and medal finals.

The 24-year-old defeated his South Australian teammate Ryan in the battle for gold in two match sprints, the first of which was won by a trademark smooth and fast overtake on the inside that seemed effortless.

But his maiden individual national title was nearly curtailed by Elliott after the Queenslander won the first match sprint of their semi-final.

Facing failing to progress to an expected gold medal, the Olympic team sprint medallist from Paris 2024 reset and "locked in" on defeating Elliott.

"I don't want to swear (laughs) but I was like, alright you have to really lock in and get these next two races and reset for the final," Hoffman said.

"The younger fellas definitely gave me a solid test but I had to dig deep and I'm happy to come away with the result.

"I feel it could have gone anyway out of that top-four, all the rides were just so close so I'm lucky to come away with the win.

"Australian sprinting over the past four years, and still is, very competitive. I think I might be here for a little bit and then these younger fellas are definitely coming up pretty hot and they're already on my tail."

Hoffman has quickly jumped to number one status in a deeply talented group of Australian male sprinters, and competed only a fortnight ago at the UCI Track Nations Cup in Konya, Türkiye, where he finished fourth in the sprint and won a bronze medal in the team sprint alongside Elliott and Danny Barber.

Hoffman said that overseas travel, plus the 2025 Oceania Track Cycling Championships last month, had been leading to fatigue.

"Definitely a big hard day. Coming back from Türkiye and three big days of racing there, me and Danny I think are feeling it a bit," he said.

"I think I'm stilling onto the form a little bit but it's only good for one or two efforts and then it's just a slugfest of just trying to hold on and battle through it."

Barber rallied for a bronze medal, defeating Elliott in two match sprints.

Feature picture: Mackenzie Sweetnam