The Bundahdome

Well known as a great storyteller, and with four world titles and countless Australian championships to his name, it’s hardly breaking news that Jim Veal will be heading to the 2026 Masters Track Nationals next week with hopes of adding a few more green‑and‑gold jerseys to his wardrobe.

One story Jim loves to tell is how he won his first world championship at Dunc Gray Velodrome back in 2009, “after knocking back a couple of schooners for lunch at the Handlebar Tavern”. But Jim also knows how much luck plays its part in track cycling, and how close he came to missing this year’s trip to Brisbane altogether.

Just weeks ago, Jim was caught up in a brutal crash at the NSW Masters Championships when he fell from the banking into the path of teammate and close friend Ryan Bates. Jim walked away bruised and unsure whether he’d even make it to Nationals — but the hardest thing to bear wasn’t his own injuries. It was watching Ryan suffer a season‑ending blow after months of preparation. Jim has carried that disappointment quietly, knowing exactly how much work Bates had put into 2026.

Still, in typical Jim Veal fashion, he got back on the bike. Those early sessions were not only visibly painful to watch but, at times, audibly painful too. Yet he pushed through, day by day, until, somehow, he’s not just recovered — he’s riding freer, sharper, and even faster than he was in 2025… maybe even faster than he was in 2009.

Jackson Williams Returns to Track Nats With Eyes on the Starter’s Position

For the first time since the 2019 Australian Track Nationals, Jackson Williams is set to make his return to the national stage — this time in NSW colours.

Back in 2017, Williams was part of a standout ACT trio that blasted their way to the bronze medal in the Elite Men’s Team Sprint. Riding alongside ACT legends Dan Rickard and Nathan Hart, Jackson delivered a powerful performance that helped lift his team onto the podium against some of the strongest sprint programs in Australia.

During the 2018/19 National Championship season, Cycling Australia made an interesting choice scheduling the Elite Men’s Team Sprint Championship in December 2018 at DISC, ran alongside the Austral Wheelrace. It was at this championship that Williams teamed up with Nathan Hart and Jamie Green to claim silver and set a new ACT Elite Men’s Team Sprint Record that still stands today.

Ironically, when the 2019 Track Nationals were held in Brisbane in February, the Team Sprint was replaced by a wheelrace. As a result, the December 2018 event at DISC stood as the official 2019 National Championship Team Sprint.

In the years since, “Jacko” has remained a colourful and popular figure around the Bundahdome sprint scene, known for his energy, humour, and the power and speed he can unleash when he puts the big gears on. A long stretch of steady training and consistency has rebuilt his form and put him firmly in contention for another national medal with the NSW Team Sprint lineup.

2026 Narrabundah Track Carnival

All the action from the 2026 Narrabundah Track Carnival featuring the: Derek Aisbitt Memorial Wheelrace, Merv McDonald Memorial Wheelrace, Jim Veal Junior Wheelrace and Sian Mullholland Womens Wheelrace