‘Old duck' Meares cycling for record fourth medal

Adelaide: Sprinter Anna Meares, the self-described "old duck" of Australia's track cycling team, will draw on the enthusiasm of her youthful teammates to propel her to a record-breaking medal in the sport at the London Games.

The 28-year-old, one of only two Olympians in the 14-member team named yesterday, has a chance to become both the first woman to win a fourth Olympic cycling medal and the first to medal at three Games when she enters the individual sprint, team sprint and keirin events in London.

"This is a young team," Meares said in Adelaide.

"And with youth comes enthusiasm, motivation, desire — and that is contagious for me being the so-called old duck of the team."

Bitter rivals

Meares is again expected to lock horns with home hope and bitter rival Victoria Pendleton in the individual sprint, with the winner widely tipped to clinch the title.

Briton Pendleton landed a psychological blow by defeating the Australian in her back yard, in the semi-final at the world championships in Melbourne in April, on the way to her sixth world sprint crown.

Meares and Pendleton could also face off in the team sprint to continue a fierce rivalry between the two riders that have barely spoken for years despite encountering each regularly on the marquee events of the world cycling tour.

Only one winner

"I'm not going out saying anything personal against Vicky and Great Britain," Meares said.

"We're both competing for that Olympic gold medal and unfortunately only one of us gets it."

Jack Bobridge joins Meares as the only other Australian with Olympic experience, the 23-year-old set to lead the team pursuit which will include the cycling team's youngest rider, 18-year-old Alex Edmondson.

Edmondson has been selected along with his 20-year-old sister and fellow pursuit rider Annette, Australia's first brother-sister combination to represent the country in Olympic cycling.

"To have my sister there next to me, it's going to be crazy," the younger Edmondson said.

Australia, who won three of the ten Olympic category events to Britain's five at the Melbourne world championships, are again expected to battle the hosts for the spoils at the London Velodrome.