Britain's Chris Hoy made a mark in track cycling’s history books by winning his first try at a world sprint title in Manchester, England, on Friday

Hoy, the reigning world keirin champion and a former kilometer and team sprint champion, claimed the gold medal ahead of Frenchman Kevin Sireau in a tense two-round final.

Sireau, racing in white as the reigning World Cup sprint champion, finished second to claim the silver with his French compatriot Mickael Bourgain claiming the bronze after a two-leg victory over Italian Roberto Chiappa.

Hoy's first world title in track cycling's premiere event means he is the first rider in history to earn world titles in each of the four speed events of track racing: the kilometer, team sprint, keirin and sprint.

The Edinburgh rider, who turned 32 last week, was however given a run for his money by the 20-year-old Frenchman who is already promised a huge future.

Hoy earned the first of two sprints after a photo finish, having come blazing back to pull just ahead of Sireau in a time of 10.545.

In the second, Sireau led after the bell to signal the final lap but, like he did in the first leg, Hoy stuck on his rival's wheel to come powering through in the home straight, earning a winning time of 10.636.

It caps a hugely successful year for Hoy who, with the kilometer being pulled from the Olympic program, focused his energy on the keirin and sprint.

He becomes Britain's first world champion in the sprint since 1954, when Reginald Harris won the professional title and Cyril Peacock won the amateur sprint crown.

Hoy thus hands Britain its sixth gold from the championships from just 10 events and three days of competition.

British women nail team pursuit
The British women's pursuit team handed the hosts another gold medal earlier in the day by dominating Ukraine in the final of the 3km event.

Britain nailed the women's team pursuit, giving the host country five golds so far.

Photo: AFP

Ukraine finished second while Germany claimed the bronze after winning a medal match-up against Belarus.

Rebecca Romero, who won individual pursuit gold on Thursday, teamed up with Wendy Houvenaghel and Joanna Roswell again after they had dominated qualifying ahead of Ukraine.

Ukraine started fastest and held a slight lead on the British trio over the first four laps.

However by the 1500 meter mark Britain had pulled ahead, and two laps later took nearly a one-second lead over their rivals who faded badly in the closing kilometer.

Britain had already won four gold medals, from seven events, through Bradley Wiggins in the individual pursuit, Victoria Pendleton and Shanaze Reade in the team sprint, the men's pursuit team and Romero in the women's individual pursuit.

Hoy may make history
Britain's Chris Hoy can earn a spot track cycling history on Friday if he is successful in overcoming France's Kevin Sireau in the final of the men's sprint at the world championships.

Hoy, a former kilometer specialist who is the reigning world keirin champion, qualified for his first ever world sprint final after overpowering Italian Roberto Chiappa over two legs of the first semi-final.

Sireau, the new up and coming hope of French sprinting, dominated compatriot Mickael Bourgain over two legs to book his spot in the final which will be staged later Friday.

If successful, Hoy would become the first ever rider to win world titles in track cycling's four speed events - the kilometer, team sprint, keirin and sprint.

Kiriyienka wins men's world points title
Vasili Kiriyienka of Belarus won the men's points race crown here at the world track cycling championships on Friday.

France's Christophe Riblon capped a late charge in the final laps of the 40km, 160-lap race to claim a deserved silver medal, with Peter Schep of the Netherlands taking the bronze.

Kiriyienka finished on a total of 24 points, with Riblon on 23 and Schep on 19.

Riblon's attack caused problems for Australian Cameron Myer and New Zealand's Greg Henderson, who were both in with a shout of a medal in the latter stages of the race.

Meyer finished fourth on 18 points with Henderson on 17.

It is Belarus's second gold of the championships following Aliaksandr Lisouski's victory in the scratch.