Australian dominance on the cycling track at the Commonwealth Games looks set to continue after Anna Meares and Stephanie Morton both made the semi-finals of the women’s sprint.
The Australians have already won 10 medals in the sport including three golds and will expect to add to that haul on Saturday night when the final also takes place in the penultimate day of action.
Olympic champion Meares, who became Australia’s most successful female track cyclist with gold at the 500m individual trial on Thursday, eased to victory in two heats against Jenny Davis of Wales and will next face Jess Varnish who overcame compatriot Victoria Williamson.
The other semi-final will see Morton, a gold medallist at the London 2012 Paralympics, take on Malaysia’s Fatehah Mustapha.
Morton beat Danni Khan of England by two heats while Mustapha of Malaysia was successful by the same margin over Stephanie McKenzie of New Zealand.
Elsewhere Isle of Man, without their most famous cyclist in Mark Cavendish at the Games, have twin medal hopes in the men’s 40km points race.
Peter Kennaugh and Mark Christian, bronze medallist in Delhi four years ago, finished in first and second respectively of the second heat ahead of Jack Bobridge of Australia and Aaron Gate of New Zealand.
Kennaugh was top points scorer in the two heats with 29 ahead of New Zealand’s Thomas Scully who finished first in the earlier heat with 28.
Jonathan Mould of Wales also claimed 28 points with another New Zealander Shane Archbold in third.
The final of the event takes place on Saturday evening on an evening where the men’s sprint B2 tandem will also be decided.
Australians Kieran Modra and Jason Niblett will give their country another gold medal chance when they take on Neil Fachie and Craig Maclean of Scotland.