PRUSZKOW, Poland, March 25, 2009 (AFP) – New Zealand’s Alison Shanks was crowned women’s individual pursuit champion here at the world track cycling championships on Wednesday.

Shanks clocked a time of 3min 29.807sec for the 3000m event to beat Britain’s Wendy Houvenaghel to the gold.

Houvenaghel took the silver in a time of 3:32.174 while Lithuania’s Vilija Serekaite beat Britain’s Joanne Rowsell to the bronze medal.

Last year’s champion, Rebecca Romero of Britain, is not competing at the championships. Romero is also the reigning Olympic champion.

Shanks is the first New Zealander to claim the women’s world crown in the event since Sarah Ulmer, who is now retired.

Ulmer still holds the women’s world pursuit record of 3:24.537.