PARIS, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Reigning world champion Ellesse Andrews went one better than she did in Tokyo when she won the gold medal in the women's Keirin race at the Olympic velodrome on Thursday.
The rider from New Zealand led out the sprint over the last three laps of the 250-meter track and was able to hold off British hope Emma Finucane and Hetty van de Wouw, of the Netherlands, who finished strongly to take silver ahead of Finucane.
The second British rider in the race, Katy Marchant, finished fourth, meaning that Andrews got her revenge for Monday's disappointment after Marchant and Finucane formed part of the trio that just beat New Zealand for the gold in the women's team sprint.
"I feel like this journey has been coming. This is just an absolute pinnacle moment of my cycling career. I began cycling when I was 14 years old and began sprinting when I was 19, and here we are at 24. It has been a journey, and it's been an amazing one," said Andrews.
"Tokyo was so special to me and that silver was an amazing bonus at that time and such a special moment to reflect back on now. But to come here and to do one better..."
She explained she had raced "her own race" and insisted she would have been happy, "if that had gotten me a different placing, but the fact that it got me gold is special," she admitted.
Finucane's second medal of the Games comes after she was millimeters from going out in the semi-final, only qualifying in third place after a photo finish and she showed no signs of disappointment.
"It's honestly so surreal, I'm just living my little dream to be honest. I can't believe it," said the 21-year-old, who had words for her family in the stands.
"It's about giving back to my family, them watching me with a smile on my face and I couldn't have given any more today. Congrats to Ellesse and to Hetty and to get that bronze was unreal," she said.
The Keirin race is held over six laps of the track, with the first three behind a pacing motorbike, which brings the riders up to speed before pulling aside for the frantic race over the last three circuits. ■
