Rio 2016: Elinor Barker eyeing cycling team pursuit world record

Elinor Barker won silver and bronze for Wales at the 2014 Commonwealth Games

Welsh cyclist Elinor Barker has targeted a world record if Great Britain women's pursuit team qualify for Rio 2016.

Barker defied illness to help GB take bronze in the team pursuit at the recent Track World Cup in Colombia.

The 21-year-old, a World and European team pursuit champion, says they will have to be at their best to break the record.

"What we're really hoping for is the world record," Barker said.

"What the world record is as that point, nobody knows. At the minute it's 4:13, which is about three seconds faster than we've ever gone ourselves.

"The world record really did jump up at the most recent World Championships and if we can beat that then we can be really happy."

Australia women's pursuit team set a new world record time of four minutes 13.683 seconds at the 2015 World Championships in February.

London will host the next World Championships in March 2016, and Barker is focused on winning team pursuit gold.

"Individual events for me at the moment are being pushed aside and I'll wait and see the programme as to whether I'll ride any of them or not," Barker added.

Barker was unwell at the Track World Cup but took to the line with team-mates Joanna Rowsell Shand, Katie Archibald and Ciara Horne in order to fulfil competition rules.

She then stepped off the track when the race started with Great Britain beating China by less than two-tenths of a second to seal third.

"I had to start the race and that was it. The girls had to carry on as three and it was a new experience for all of us," Barker said.

"We rose to the occasion and I'm really proud of the girls for still getting bronze with three riders right at the very start. That must have been very tough."