New Zealand Duo Secures Silver in Women's Madison at Malaysia Track Cycling World Cup

Bryony Botha and Prue Fowler secure silver in the women's madison in Malaysia, adding to their team pursuit gold despite Fowler's recent illness recovery.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 27, 2026, 4:00 AM EDT

Source: RNZ Pacific

Podium Success for New Zealand in Malaysia

The New Zealand track cycling team continued its strong showing at the World Cup in Malaysia as veteran Bryony Botha and rising talent Prue Fowler secured silver in the women's madison. The achievement is particularly significant as it occurred just 24 hours after the duo contributed to a gold medal victory in the women's team pursuit. Botha, recognized as the team's most experienced rider, successfully anchored the two person madison event alongside Fowler, demonstrating the depth of New Zealand's track cycling program on the international stage.

Strategic Execution in the Madison Event

The madison is a grueling 30km race consisting of 120 laps, where teams of two riders score points through sprints contested every 10 laps. Botha and Fowler maintained a competitive pace throughout the journey but were ultimately outmatched by a dominant Dutch squad. The Netherlands team displayed clinical precision, scoring in 10 out of the 12 available sprints to finish with a total of 66 points. The New Zealand pair finished with a respectable 54 points, solidifying their place on the second step of the podium.

Fowler Overcomes Health Challenges to Compete

The silver medal represents a personal triumph for 23 year old Prue Fowler, whose participation was in doubt following a recent bout of illness. Fowler became unwell after the previous World Cup meet in Hong Kong and spent two days confined to bed prior to the Malaysia event. Due to a lack of reserve riders, the team was forced to adapt its strategy in the team pursuit, utilizing Fowler as a starter for only four laps before the remaining three riders finished the race. Despite her weakened condition, Fowler reported that her physical state improved significantly in time for the madison final.