Ann Bowditch punches the air with delight as she crosses the line just ahead of her nearest rivals to take gold in the women’s town criterium in Ventnor.

IT WAS a shade before two o’clock on day one when David Harry, the Guernsey Velo Club stalwart, made the following delighted observation: ‘We’ve been going eight hours, four gold medals have been up to be won and we [Guernsey] have won them all.’

But while Lee Merrien’s half-marathon success was something of a stroll, Ann Bowditch’s latest golden performance was a real thriller and had the lines of spectators flanking half-a-mile of Ventnor town centre whooping with delight.

Bowditch won by no more than a bike’s length from Laura Wasley, but her victory was no individual effort and, to the delight of the many Sarnians in and about the team ‘pits’, after 15 minutes of deliberation it was revealed that the trio of Bowditch, Sam Herridge and Karina Bowie had clinched team gold.

‘I could cry really,’ said Bowditch. ‘I’m so chuffed. From a long way out I thought I’m having this one.’

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