Australia's Meares sets world record

MELBOURNE - Reuters

Australia's Anna Meares reacts on the podium after riding to a new world record in the women's 500m time trial. AFP photo

Australia's Anna Meares set a world record to win the 500 meters time trial title at the track cycling world championships in Melbourne today. 
 
Meares stormed around the Hisense Arena to post a time of 33.010 seconds and eclipse the previous mark of 33.296 set by Simona Krupeckaite of Lithuania in Pruszkow, Poland in 2009. 

It was Meares's second world record at her home championships, the 28-year-old also setting a new mark in a flying 200 metres lap in the first qualifying session of the women's sprint. 
 
"I won my first world title in this event in 2004 ... I can't be too disappointed with that," she told reporters. 
 
"I love this event. For me, it's just such enjoyment. There's no-one else to get in my way for starters, and it's pure speed and it suits pure control." 
 
"I love this event and if I could have ridden it every single year, even though it's not Olympic, I would have," added Meares, who skipped the event in Apeldoorn last year to concentrate on her successful bid for sprint gold. 
 
Meares set a world record to win gold in the event at the 2004 Athens Games before it was stripped from the Olympic program. 
 
The win gave Meares her 10th world title and her second at the Melbourne championships. Meares defended her keirin title on Saturday after tearfully losing her sprint title to arch-rival Victoria Pendleton the night before. 
 
"This was where I won my first world title eight years ago in the same event. Tonight I walk away with my 10th world title," she said. 
 
"This is a totally special, pressure-off, go out and have some fun event."