Bryony Botha has broken one of New Zealand's most iconic cycling records at the Waikato-Auckland Championships last weekend.
In the 3000m individual pursuit, Botha edged the mark of 3m 24.537s set by Kiwi great Sarah Ulmer 18 years ago, clocking in a shade under at 3m 24.256s.
Set at the Athens Olympics in 2004, Ulmer's gold medal-winning mark was fast enough for a world record, which wasn't broken until 2010.
Botha, 24, is a team pursuit specialist, representing New Zealand at the event at last year's Tokyo Olympics.
With her sights firmly set on the record, Botha thought it may be out of reach after a conservative start, but she steadily increased her lap times and held the record pace.
She finished with her fastest lap to break the mark, although those among the few in attendance at the empty velodrome were initially unaware what Botha had achieved.
"I thought 'oh my god. I've done it," says Botha. "I don't think anyone realised it was a record, especially with no crowds there. It was super low-key.
"And no-one actually knew the exact time of Sarah’s record. It was not until I called my father and he confirmed it was a record.
"It is cool and good for the women’s endurance programme. It was bound to happen at some stage, and I am just glad I was the one to do it.
"It makes me happy to know that my training and everything that [coach ]Ross [Machejefski] and I are doing is working."
Botha then sent a text message to Ulmer's husband and former coach Brendon Cameron to inform them of the news.
"I said 'sorry but I have broken Sarah's record' and he came back to congratulate me," she says.
"Sarah also messaged me to say 'Congratulations. You must be so excited. Here's to this just being the start of a few more breaks'."
Botha is now focused on replicating her feat at this year's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, which starts in July.
