Australia won the women's 4000m team pursuit today in London ©Getty Images

Australia and New Zealand set new standards at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games in the women's and men's 4,000 metres team pursuit, claiming their first gold medals at the Lee Valley VeloPark in London.

A new Commonwealth record was set by Australians Georgia Baker, Sophie Edwards, Chloe Moran and Maeve Plouffe in the women's 4000m team pursuit final, beating New Zealand to gold by five seconds in a new standard of 4min 12.234sec.

England's team - which featured five-time Olympic champion Dame Laura Kenny - defeated Wales for bronze.

New Zealand's Aaron Gate, Jordan Kerby, Tom Sexton and Campbell Stewart replicated their neighbours in the men's event, beating England in their final with a new Games record of 3:47.575.

Australia were able to beat Wales for the bronze medal.

A second New Zealand gold came in the women's team sprint thanks to the efforts of Rebecca Petch, Olivia King and Ellesse Andrews, who set a new Games record in the final in 47.425sec.

Canada took silver behind them, their first medal of the Games, while Wales were the bronze medallists.

In the men's tandem B 1000m time trial, Scotland's Neil Fachie successfully defended his title for a third Games in a row, beating his own Commonwealth record in the process.

Fachie, piloted by Lewis Stewart in the visually-impaired event, took his fifth gold medal at the Games in as many events, an unbeaten streak dating back to Glasgow 2014.

To do so, he had to better the time of Wales' James Ball and Matthew Rotherham who set a new Games record of 1:00.053 with just the Scots to come.

Neil Fachie and Lewis Stewart broke the Commonwealth Games record to claim gold in the men's tandem B 1000m time trial ©Getty Images
Neil Fachie and Lewis Stewart broke the Commonwealth Games record to claim gold in the men's tandem B 1000m time trial ©Getty Images

Fachie and Stewart had a cautious start, playing catch-up at the end, eventually overhauling Wales in the last lap to record a time of 59.938.

Stephen Bate and Christopher Latham of England completed the podium, claiming bronze in front of a home crowd.

In the women's tandem B sprint, Australia's Jessica Gallagher and Caitlin Ward defeated Aileen McGlynn and Ellie Stone of Scotland in straight races to claim the gold medal. 

Sophie Unwin and Georgia Holt came third by the same 2-0 margin against Scotland's Paralympic and Commonwealth athletics champion Libby Clegg, piloted by Jenny Holl.

Finally in the men's team sprint, Australia rounded off the night with another Games record, bettering that set in qualification.

The trio of Leigh Hoffman, Matthew Richardson and Matthew Glaetzer set a new best of 42.040 to defeat England for gold.

New Zealand completed the podium by beating Canada in the bronze medal race.