SHAW cyclist Matt Walls claimed his first ever elite world championship medal in the Velodrom Berlin, securing bronze in the multi discipline omnium.
The former Crompton House School pupil completed his famous success after a thrilling points race secured his spot on the podium.
Walls got his omnium campaign off to a strong start, gaining a lap in the scratch race with Frenchman Benjamin Thomas to finish in second place in the first race of the event.
A seventh-place spot in the tempo race and an 11th place finish in the elimination resulted in Walls entering the points race in fifth place and very much in reach of a medal.
Walls got stuck straight into the action, but it was around the 40 laps to go mark when he made his decisive move.
Along with Australia’s Cameron Meyer, Walls went on the attack, scooping up the top points from the next two sprints, before eventually making the lap with 12 to go.
This lap gain escalated Walls up to the silver medal position. But Dutchman, Jan van Schip, put in a big chase in the closing stages to gain himself a lap which put him back ahead of Walls. France’s Thomas took the gold medal in the omnium for the second time in his career so far.
Walls, who is now in with a great chance of competing at this summer’s Olympic Games, said: “It is unbelievable.
“It is my second champs now, last year I came away with a sixth, and then earlier this week I got fourth (in the scratch race).
“Now, I have got third. So, I just keep improving, I keep learning from my mistakes and I keep coming back stronger.”