Queensland reclaim elite women's team sprint national title in all-maroon final

A late line-up change has failed to hinder Queensland's elite women's team sprint squad reclaiming the national title from New South Wales in a Queensland A versus Queensland B gold medal final at the 2025 AusCycling Track National Championships.

Junior rider Ella Liang stepped up to gate duties at Anna Meares Velodrome as the starter for Queensland A following Sophie Watt's self-inflicted crash 24 hours earlier in the elite women's sprint gold medal final.

Liang joined Emma Stevens and Deneaka Blinco in the winning team, which defeated Queensland B's Victoria Smith, Maddison Smith and Molly McGill by 2.448 seconds.

The trio stopped the clock at 49.771 in the gold medal ride, with Stevens and Blinco setting PB lap two and lap three times, respectively.

"Always good to have it back in Queensland, we always want it back here," Stevens said.

"It was a great night, especially with Ella stepping up, it was a big job, but we did amazing together.

"Our prep was a bit interrupted with the cyclone but we did the best we could."

The Queensland B team also contained two juniors in Smith and Smith (no relation), while McGill rode third wheel as a racing opportunity amid a heavy training block.

Victoria's Ning Chen, Alessia McCaig and Ruby McLean won bronze.

A medal ineligible composite team, comprised of Maya Dillon and Liliya Tatarinoff from New South Wales and Lauren Perry from Tasmania, set the fastest time in qualifying at 49.909 seconds and then 49.916 in the bronze final.

Feature picture: Mackenzie Sweetnam