BROMSGROVE'S Jessica Varnish has picked up England's first track cycling medal at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, claiming bronze in the women's 500m time-trial.

Varnish, a member of Halesowen CC, came in third behind Australian pair Stephanie Morton and Anna Meares, the latter breaking her own Commonwealth Games record with a run of 33.435 seconds.

Meares, the great rival of Varnish's former sprint team-mate Victoria Pendleton, has now won the event at the last three Commonwealth Games and has five career golds at the event.

For Varnish, who came in at 34.267, it was a moment to savour following her disqualification alongside Pendleton at London 2012 - a ruling that left her as the only Team GB cyclist not to medal.