PETERSFIELD sprint cyclist Joe Truman says winning a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Australia was an “amazing” experience.

Speaking from Tokyo, where he will be competing on the Japanese Keirin racing circuit, the former Petersfield School (TPS) pupil said: “Winning Silver was an amazing experience.

“To take a silver away from my first major games has been great, and has given me a good confidence boost for the two-year lead-up to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.”

In the final of the three- man cycle sprint in Brisbane last Thursday, Joe and team mates Ryan Owens, and Philip Hindes, were beaten by 0.7 of a second to the gold medal by the New Zealand trio.

Joe, aged 21, of The Causeway, said: “We always knew it was going to be close with the Australian and New Zealand teams so when we qualified for the gold final race we knew we had a fight on our hands.

“Based on how well my training had been going, I would have liked to have gone a little faster but I can’t complain as the New Zealand time in the final was phenomenal.

“I only got to spend one rest day in the athlete village before flying to Japan for three months, after receiving an invite to compete in the Japanese Keirin racing circuit.

“It’s something I have always wanted to do and it’ll be an amazing experience.”

Shortly after the race in the Anna Meares velodrome in Brisbane on the Gold Coast, TPS posted on social media: “Congratulations Joe and Team England.”