Gold medalists team USA attend the victory ceremony for the cycling track women's team pursuit at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)
PARIS, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Australia and the United States won the two gold medals that were up for grabs in the track cycling team pursuit at Paris 2024 on Wednesday.
As expected, the discipline, which sees teams of four riders start on opposite sides of the 250-meter track before completing 16 circuits as quickly as possible, produced plenty of tension.
Australia claimed gold in a thrilling men's race against Britain, with their quartet of Oliver Bleddyn, Sam Welsford, Conor Leahy and Kelland O'Brien finishing the four kilometers in 3:42.067, while Team GB's Ethan Hayter, Oliver Wood, Charlie Tanfield and Ethan Vernon were on 3:44.394.
"It was close, and I knew in the last three laps they would come quicker, and we just tried to match it. The boys did a good job of keeping their nerve," Welsford said.
It has been 20 years since Australia last won the event, and Welsford admitted it was "pretty crazy" to think they were Olympic champions. "We probably did not have these expectations when we started training together. To come together like we did in the last month was pretty special," he added.
The times do not tell the full story of dramatic race where gold was in the balance, as the quartets were neck and neck with only 0.150s between them as they went into the last lap, but a touch of wheels saw Hayter forced to slow down, ensuring gold went to Australia, who had previously set a new world record of 3.40.730 on Tuesday.
"We were so close. I just gave too much and my whole body went weak, and I couldn't stay on the bike anymore. I am sorry for these guys. We are super happy to win a silver though," explained Hayter.
"The dream never died. We have come here and won a silver medal, and these lads can all be proud because they did a great job," said his teammate Wood.
Italy, whose team contained Felippo Ganna and Jonathan Milan, produced a strong second half to claim bronze.
In the women's team pursuit final, the U.S. had a strong start against New Zealand and were able to hold on comfortably as their rivals closed the gap in the closing kilometer.
The U.S. finished in 4.04.306 to their rivals' 4.04.927 to give American cyclist Kristen Faulkner her second gold medal of the Games, after she had won the women's road race on Sunday.
"I would have been happy to walk away with one medal, but to have two golds is a dream come true, it is more than I expected," said Faulkner in the post-race press conference.
New Zealand have the consolation of being only the fifth nation to win an Olympic medal in this event.
"We can be proud of every round we did out there. It was initially disappointing, but if you see the progress we have made, we are really proud with a silver medal around our necks," said New Zealand cyclist Ally Wollaston.
Britain beat Italy in the race for third and fourth to take the bronze medal.
There was early drama in the men's sprint, when first Matthew Richardson of Australia broke the world record to set a fastest-ever time of 9.091 to cover 200 meters, before defending champion Harrie Lavreysen of the Netherlands went even faster with a time of 9.088, at an average speed of 79.225 km/h.
The duo progressed with few problems to the quarterfinals and are clear medal favorites.
Emma Finucane impressed in the first round of the women's Keirin, showing her speed in reaching the quarterfinals in a heat with Lea Friedrich of Germany.
Yuan Liying and Guo Yufang from China also qualified for the quarterfinals with strong rides to finish second in their respective heats. ■
Bronze medalists team Britain attend the victory ceremony for the cycling track women's team pursuit at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)
Gold medalists team USA show their medals after the victory ceremony for the cycling track women's team pursuit at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)
Bronze medalists team Britain react after the victory ceremony for the cycling track women's team pursuit at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)
Bronze medalists team Britain react after the victory ceremony for the cycling track women's team pursuit at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)
Gold medalists team USA (C), silver medalists team New Zealand (L) and bronze medalists team Britain attend the victory ceremony for the cycling track women's team pursuit at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)
Team New Zealand compete during the cycling track women's team pursuit finals for gold at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)
Team Italy compete during the cycling track women's team pursuit finals for bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)
Silver medalists team New Zealand show their medals after the victory ceremony for the cycling track women's team pursuit at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)
Team Italy compete during the cycling track women's team pursuit finals for bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)
Team Britain compete during the cycling track women's team pursuit finals for bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)
Team Britain celebrate after winning the cycling track women's team pursuit finals for bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Team France compete during the cycling track women's team pursuit finals for places 5-6 at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Lily Williams (R) and Kristen Faulkner of USA celebrate after winning the cycling track women's team pursuit finals for gold at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Josie Knight of Britain celebrates after her team wins the cycling track women's team pursuit finals for bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Team Italy compete during the cycling track women's team pursuit finals for bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Sam Welsford of Australia reacts after the cycling track men's team pursuit finals for gold at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Team Australia compete during the cycling track men's team pursuit finals for gold at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
