Six-time gold medalist Chris Hoy started the day off with the coup-de-baton honors. It was a harbinger for things to come as Harrie Lavreysen defended his Olympic gold in impressive fashion.
Gold medal final
Defending Olympic champion Harrie Lavreysen faced Australia’s Matthew Richardson for the fifteenth time in their professional career. Neither had lost a race on the way to the final. Lavreysen defended his gold to continue his domination of the men’s individual sprint.
In the first race, Lavreysen led from end-to end. Richardson attempted to challenge by going wide, but he couldn’t catch the Dutch sprinter. The world champion took race one by a convincing .024 seconds.
Richardson was the last racer to beat Lavreysen in this event in November 2023 and he had to win the second race to force a winner-take-all race. Richardson led when the final lap bell struck, but Lavreysen powered ahead down the stretch.
The Dutch sprinter made it look easy, only needing two races to win the gold in the men’s individual sprint. The heavy Dutch crowd chanted his name as he rose his bike over his head in celebration. He now has two gold medals at the Paris Games and will attempt to complete a hat trick in the men’s keirin event.
For Richardson, it was his first individual Olympic medal and he added to the bronze he won in the team sprint earlier this week.
Bronze medal final
Two of track cycling’s best sprinters faced off in the bronze medal race but
Tokyo Bronze medalist Jack Carlin of Great Britain faced silver medalist Jeffrey Hoogland of the Netherlands. In a race that looks like a cat-and-mouse chase in the start, Hoogland made the first move. Hoogland controlled the sprint lane on the final lap, however, Carlin came hard down the back stretch. The Brit pulled ahead at the throw to the line for a .017 win in the first of three races.
In the second race, Carlin led at the bell. This time, Hoogland overtook him on the last corner and powered across the finish line in first. The bronze medal showdown would be even at one race a piece.
In the winner-take-all finale, Hoogland led on top of the track while Carlin dropped down to the bottom of the track. Just as thing were about to take off, Carlin turned towards the top of the track, as Hoogland dropped down and the two collided in dramatic fashion, a restart would be needed. Carlin immediately signaled and acknowledged it was his fault.
Hoogland looked very tense while Carlin looked very relaxed after a pause to assess the bikes and repair the track. When the race restarted, Carlin took the lead out front this time and Hoogland remained in the back. Carlin moved ahead in front while Hoogland tried to go up high to gain speed, Hoogland pulled within the back wheel of Carlin but the Brit finished .041 ahead of Hoogland. Carlin was ecstatic to win the bronze.
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