Jieli Li breaks own world record at Para Cycling Track Worlds

China's Jieli Li has broken the first world record at Rio's Olympic Park Velodrome, on day two (23 March) of the 2018 Para Cycling Track World Championships. The 26-year-old clocked 43.430 in the women's C1 500m time trial to lower her own previous mark of 44.439, established in 2016, by just nine thousandths of a second.

China continued its successful run with Zhangyu Li winning the men's C1 1km time trial title. The Netherlands’ Arnoud Nijhuis took silver and Ricardo Argiles of Spain finished with the bronze medal.

More success for the Dutch came through Alyda Norbruis, who claimed her second and third gold medals in Rio with a win in the women's 500m C2 time trial and one in the 10km scratch race. She had already won a gold on Thursday (22 March) in the women's C2 3km individual pursuit. Amanda Reid from Australia was the silver medallist while China's Zhenling Song got the bronze.

Great Britain's Megan Giglia got her revenge on Germany's Denise Schindler, who had beaten her in the women's C3 individual pursuit 3km. She got the gold medal in the C3 500m time trial with Schindler having to settle for silver. USA's Jamie Whitmore completed the podium.

Day two also saw Colombia win its first gold medal of the Worlds, with Alejandro Arango claiming first place in the men's C2 2km time trial. Paralympic medallist Tristan Chernove of Canada won silver and China's Guihua Liang the bronze.

In a thrilling end to the day, US cyclist Joseph Berenyi secured the gold medal in the men's C3 time trial 1km. He was the last one to get out onto the track but was able to overcome Belgium's Diederick Schelfhout and Kris Bosmans, who had been set to record the first 1-2 finish for a country at this Worlds.

On Saturday (March 24), the morning session will take place with the women's 3km individual pursuit C4 and C5 being the first races. USA's Shawn Morelli, Marie Claude-Molnar of Canada and Australian Meg Lemon are the favourites in the C4, while multi-Paralympic champion Sarah Storey’s decision to withdraw from competition leaves US cyclist Samantha Bosco as the clear front-runner in the C5 event.

The men's C4 individual pursuit comes afterwards, with Paralympic medallists Joseph Metelka of Slovakia and Australia’s Kyle Bridgwood setting the tone.

The 2018 Track Worlds feature 171 athletes (50 women and 121 men) from 30 countries competing across four days of competition. The competition is the first one that athletes can collect ranking points towards the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Full results from Rio can be found here.