EAST Lancashire ace Steven Burke suffered disappointment in the men’s individual pursuit at the World Championships in Belarus.

Burke, who won silver on Wednesday night in the team pursuit, was drafted into the individual event in place of Andy Tennant.

But Burke, who won Olympic bronze in the event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics behind winner Bradley Wiggins, struggled to replicate that form and could only finish 17th in Minsk.

Burke was lapped by qualifying opponent Alex Morgan, who, like overall winner Michael Hepburn, was part of the Australian quartet which won gold ahead of Britain on day one.

The 24-year-old from Colne, who won London 2012 team pursuit gold, was seeking to become Britain’s first world champion in the now non-Olympic event since Wiggins in Manchester in March 2008.

Now Britain’s wait will be at least six years, with next year’s World Championships in Cali, Colombia the next opportunity.

It shows the switch in focus after the individual pursuit was dropped following the 2008 Olympics.

Elsewhere on day two there was a superb gold for the women’s pursuit trio of Dani King, Laura Trott and Elinor Barker while Becky James won 500m time trial bronze.

Martyn Irvine became the first Irishman to win a track world championship medal in more than 100 years as he took silver in the individual pursuit before winning scratch race gold.