The New Zealand women’s team sprint grabbed a silver medal on the opening day of the UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships in Luoyang, China.

The trio of Riley Faulkner (Invercargill), Jodie Blackwood (Cambridge) and Caitlin Kelly (Invercargill) set a New Zealand record on their way to the silver medal in a strong showing in the new velodrome in one of China’s oldest cities.

The New Zealanders qualified second fastest, setting a new national record of 49.959s, with the hosts setting a new world record to be top qualifiers.

The kiwis were too strong for Chinese Taipei in the first round, lowering their new national record to 49.605s to qualify for the finals against the hosts.

They recovered from a pulled foot out of the pedals in the final to clock 50.851s with China taking the gold medal and New Zealand the silver to make an outstanding start to the week-long championships.

It was a second medal for Kelly, who gained New Zealand’s only podium placing in last year’s junior world championships.

“There were two very well executed rides by the girls but they unfortunately putted a foot in the last ride, recovering well but finishing just behind China. But they broke the national record twice today and should be well pleased with their effort,” said Cycling New Zealand coach Fionn Cullinane.

The New Zealand men’s team pursuit finished seventh in the 4000m timed test. The quartet of Magnus Jamieson, Daniel Morton, Lucas Bhimy and Matthew Davidson were sixth fastest in qualifying in 4:04.640, and lowered this to 4.03.957 in round one but were beaten by China after matching their opponents through 3000m.

Australia will take on Great Britain in the gold medal ride on day two.

“The boys produced a very good technical ride in the final and executed the plan well but didn’t quite have the legs to match the top teams today,” said Cullinane.

Earlier Canterbury’s Meghan Baker placed seventh in the 30-lap scratch race, after winning her qualifying race earlier in the day.

“Meg rode well and chased down all the key moves, but got squeezed out for some clear air in the final sprint and had to be content with seventh.”

The sprint women return on day two for individual sprint qualifying through to early stages of match racing in the evening programme, along with riders in the men’s scratch race and Baker in the elimination.