Commonwealth Games: Squashed bug has security on the run

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Southland cyclist Eddie Dawkins can vouch that security forces in New Delhi are on high alert.

The highly-touted sprinter was doing a few training laps at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex when he ran over a cricket.

With his speed hovering on 70km/h and upwards of 240psi of pressure in the tube, the cricket was more than enough to disturb the equilibrium.

"Fortunately I didn't come off. It was probably the training I did doing skids as a kid that helped," Dawkins joked.

The next part had the potential to be not quite so amusing.

"All these soldiers came running into the middle of the velodrome because it sounded like a gunshot."

The 21-year-old is part of a track team that is expected to be New Zealand's most prolific medallists at these Games. Where once Dawkins was the sprint team, he is now joined by a group of young riders including Simon van Velthooven, Ethan Mitchell and Sam Webster.

There would have been one more here, were it not for the stupidity of Adam Stewart, who was caught importing EPO, the bane of cycling officials. It came as a shock to the likeable Dawkins.

"We were close friends," Dawkins said. "It weighed heavily on our hearts and on the rest of New Zealand cycling. But you can't let that stuff get you down."

Dawkins has not tried to contact Stewart since and he has not sought an explanation, saying it is Stewart's "burden to bear". In fact, he doesn't expect to see him in the sport again.

"I don't think he'll be coming back to cycling. Two years away is a long time to catch up."

Dawkins' Commonwealth Games battle begins tomorrow with the kilo time trial.

No longer an Olympic event, Dawkins nevertheless has the opportunity to follow in the tyre tracks of Craig Adair (1982) and Harry Kent (1970) in winning gold.

"I was a bit gutted when it got taken from the Olympics but I'm going to do it this year and at next year's world championships," Dawkins said.

"The New Zealand team's priority is the team sprint. If you qualify that you also qualify a sprinter and a kierin rider for 2012. Only one guy can ride though, so it makes it pretty cut-throat."

Also racing in the kilo is Mitchell.

The first day's action at the velodrome also sees pursuit favourites Jesse Sergent and Alison Shanks in action, and the women's 500m time trial.

- additional reporting Andrew Alderson