Dawkins wins prestigious track cycling event

New Zealand sprinter Eddie Dawkins is finding top form in the United States, as he prepares for the Commonwealth Games.

The Southland rider has won the prestigious Keirin Cup, one of the biggest prizes of the year at the track cycling mecca of Trexlertown in Pennsylvania.

Dawkins became the first New Zealander to win the Keirin Cup after an exciting performance when he cut through the middle of the pack from near the rear of the six-man final and managed to hold off the late charge from American champion and Olympian Giddeon Massie.

Dawkins was thrilled with the effort and confident that the New Zealanders will be a force to be reckoned with in the track cycling home-away-from-home in the area known affectionately as T-Town.

“It definitely will not be the last New Zealander to win the Keirin Cup,” Dawkins said. “New Zealand is developing such big talent, and has a lot of depth to their program. We were a small fish in a big pond when comes to sprinting. But now we’re right up there competing with the big boys. It’s just amazing to win this race.”

Beijing Olympic medallist and two time world BMX champion Willy Kanis (Netherlands) took out the women’s final.

South Canterbury’s Shane Archbold also tasted success in winning the Miss-And-Out race before teaming with American Shane Kline to win the 50-lap Madison but in a busy night, was just pipped for the Omnium title by another American, Bobby Lea.

Dawkins and Archbold are in Trexlertown with the wider Commonwealth Games squad with the final team for Delhi to be named next week.