A one-time teenage cycling star who came back to the sport after giving it up has come full cycle by being crowned national champion.

Aussie Rob Drinkwater, from Sunbury, was a teenage sprint champion in his native New South Wales, but was forced to swap cycling for rugby following a serious fall.

But having got back on his bike two years ago, Drinkwater showed he has not lost it by winning the 750m Time Trial at the National Masters Track Championships in Newport, south Wales, last week.

His time of 53.27 secs was enough to earn the Twickenham Cycling Club veteran top spot on the podium in the 40-44 age group.

And having overcome his own adversity, the 40-year-old dedicated his gold medal and champions' jersey to father Bill, 71, who is recovering from Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, and made the trip over from Australia to watch his son in action.

To make it a real family affair at Newport, Rob's wife Nicki, who also cycles for Twickenham, picked up bronze in the women's 30-34 500m Time Trial. Fellow Twickenham cyclists David Jack and John Warnock also won the men's 40-49 silver and points bronze, and the 30-39 points bronze, respectively.