'Pocket Rocket' pockets gold in Russia

New South Wales' Caleb Ewan continued Australia gold rush at the 2011 UCI Junior Track cycling Championships in Moscow winning the men's omnium.

The diminutive Ewan's consistency throughout the six events was the key, with the seventeen-year-old claiming five top five places.

In the first three events held on Thursday, Ewan finished fifth in the flying lap (18.262), second in the points race (12 points) and second in the elimination race.

On Friday he claimed third in the 3km individual pursuit (3:24.851), seventh in the 10km scratch race before taking fifth in the 1km time trial (1:05.066).

"I didn't know what to expect in the scratch race and I got tenth which wasn't that good, but then I got fifth in the flying lap which put me in pretty good position," said Ewan.

"Then after points, I was leading so I thought if I can keep going and doing what I was doing, I was in with a chance," he added.

Ewan won on 24 points, five points clear of Russian Roman Ivlev (29 points) with New Zealand's Dylan Kennett in third (32 points).

The newly crowned Omnium world champion was ecstatic given he didn't think he would be in Moscow, lt alone riding the omnium.

"To be honest, I didn't even think I was going to make the track team this year, but as soon as I got in, all I wanted to do was focus on the points, " said Ewan. "But Timmy (Decker) and Matty (Gilmore) thought I would be better suited for the omnium, they were right."

Tasmania's Georgia Baker, who one night earlier teamed with Queensland's Taylah Jennings and Emily Roper to win gold in the women's team pursuit, claimed her second medal with silver in a hard fought women's scratch race.

Jennings was also in action in the women's omnium and is a clear leader after the first two of six events, claiming first place in the flying lap (19.728) and 10km points race (16 points).

In the men's sprint, VIctoria's Luke Parker posted a new Australian record of 10.165 to qualify fourth fastest in flying 200m, however he was knocked out in the round of 16.

The recently crowned time trial junior world champion, Victoria's Jaron Gardiner, qualified seventh (10.272) and finished fifth overall.

The 2011 UCI Junior Track World Championships are being held 17-21 August 2011 in Moscow, Russia and feature 176 men and 62 women from 35 countries.

The team for the 2011 UCI Junior Track World Championships is listed below.