Anna Meares Fourth In International Comeback

Olympic sprint champion Anna Meares returned to major international competition at the UCI Track World Cup Series in Manchester overnight, finishing fourth in the women?s sprint at the British National Cycling Centre Velodrome. Following a 16-month break following her 2012 London Olympic victory, Meares stamped her return with a blistering time of 10.874secs in the flying 200m, the fastest time recorded in the field of 28 competitors. ?I was really happy with my 200 qualifying time, a bit of a surprise as I haven?t been at that level experience this level of intensity for a while,? said the South Australian. ?It was tough, but even having lost and ended up fourth it was really good to be back. ?This was always going to be about seeing my benchmark of where I am at right now, this will give us some really good information and feedback as to what we can work on and improve on. ?And that?s the goal obviously, to get better with every race and every competition,? Meares added. The 30-year-old easily accounted for Anastasiia Voynova (RUS) and Virginie Cueff (FRA) in the 1/8 and quarterfinals, before Wai Sze Lee (HKG) got the better of Meares? in two straight heats in the semi final. Used to battling against the red, white and blue British skinsuit following a decade-long rivalry with recently retired Victoria Pendleton, Meares lined up against yet another Brit in the bronze medal final in 21-year-old Becky James. Unfazed by the reputation and glittering resume of her opponent, James claimed the first heat riding from the front before coming around Meares late in the second heat to clinch the bronze medal. “I thought I?d get a break from the British after Vicky retired, but they just keep churning out world champions,? a jovial Meares said after the final. ?I think my tactics were fine, and my set up was good, I just think my legs weren?t there.? The shock of having to perform that quickly and that regularly, I haven?t had that for over 16 months, so it is nice to get that feeling again. ?But I had a lot of fun and it is great to back in this level of environment and competition.? Missing the entire 2012/13 international track season including the World Cup Series and the World Championships during her break, Meares admitted it felt like ?stepping back into a different world? in Manchester. ?I was a little bit nervous as there is a lot of expectation that comes with being the Olympic champion, as it is new to me to be the hunted, as I was always hunting Vicky (Pendleton),? Meares revealed. ?But that has to be managed in my own head, as I am not going to be in the form of that Olympic race in every race of my life. ?I have lost lots of races and that trend is not going to change. ?And all these girls are young, their improvements are always going to be significant while mine are going to be minimal given my age and how long I have already been in the sport. ?But this is what I love about sprinting, it is always a challenge, the game keeps changing, and I have to stay on my toes and keep doing my homework. ?I really have to work very, very hard if I want to be back at the top. But I want it, it will happen, I will work very bloody hard don?t worry about that. ?I am very confident in my program, and my coach Gary West and the goals we have set, they are very lofty goals, but I believe we are capable of achieving them.? On the final day of competition in Manchester, Meares will contest the keirin. Meares will return to Australia before heading to New Zealand to contest the 2013 Oceania Track Championships (November 18-22, 2013) ahead of the second round of the UCI Track World Cup Series in Mexico from December 6-8.