Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald dominated the first-ever women's Olympic Madison at the Tokyo 2020 Games, with Kenny saying "I've never wanted to win a race so badly in all my life."
The British duo won the Madison by 43 points over the Danish pair of Amalie Dideriksen and Julie Leth, after the Team GB riders pulled off an amazing total of 78 points.
>>> Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald crush the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Madison to take gold
Speaking after the race, Kenny said: "It's unbelievable. I'm just so glad. I've never wanted to win a race so badly in all my life.
"That was the one. I messaged Jason [Kenny, her husband] this morning and said, 'I feel like my Olympics ends today.' The one race I really wanted to do was this and we went and did it."
With this gold, Kenny moves to the top spot of most successful British female athletes with five golds and a silver, moving her ahead of horse rider Charlotte Dujardin who has the same amount of medals but only three golds.
Kenny and her husband Jason have both been competing in the Olympics and have been away from their son, Albie.
"I've never missed Albie so much in all my life. I kept saying to people, 'please don't ask me about Albie'.
"I couldn't have done it without these girls. It's so hard leaving him at home but to have Katie there the whole time, I just feel like I'm racing with a sister and I couldn't have done it if we didn't have that relationship."
Archibald took her second ever Olympic gold in the Madison after being in the team pursuit team in Rio 2016. She also took silver in that event at this year's Games.
She shared the same view as Kenny, saying: "I've never wanted something so much and I've never been so nervous.
"We've been really clinical in our approach to this, none of this would have happened without Monica [Greenwood, British Cycling Olympic coach]. We had a change of coach last year, totally overhauled our entire approach to this event."
The duo won all but two intermediate sprints in Madison as well as the final effort to the line, and taking a lap gain to ensure sure the victory was theirs.
Archibald and Kenny now can focus on the Omnium and a chance of a third medal at the games to go with their golds and silvers. This gold, as well as Matt Walls' gold in the Omnium on August 5, will also boost their confidence.
"I feel like we're going after the all-round at this track Olympics spreading between Madison and Omnium and it feels so satisfying for it to come off. I've never wanted something so much.
"My mum is one for turning into the sofa rather than the racing. It's always scarier on the sidelines than in the action, in the action you get the reward."
The Omnium is the last event for both riders and it also closes the track racing on the final day of the Games on August 8.
-
-
Pedalling squares: Inside the world of tile-bagging
Set a cyclist a bizarre and near-impossible challenge and they’ll go to any lengths to achieve it. So it is with the intrepid band of tile-baggers seeking to cover the globe in tyre tracks one mile square tile at a time, writes James Shrubsall
-
Tom Pidcock: pressure of World Championships seems 'relatively tranquil' compared to Olympics
British star heads to the cyclocross World Championships as one of the outstanding favourites
-
Laura Kenny finishes sixth in 'nightmare' Omnium
The Brit says it was already 'job done' after winning the Madison earlier in the week
-
Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald crush the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Madison to take gold
A huge performance by the Brits in a chaotic race, as the Madison returns to the Olympics
-
Tokyo 2020: Jason Kenny and Katy Marchant share disappointment after missing out on medals
The two riders had been hoping to be in the fight for the gold medal in their respective events
-
Tokyo 2020 Olympics track day three round-up: Men's team pursuit finals, crashes and a lot of sprinting
The team pursuit final was the star attraction on the third day of competition in the Izu Velodrome
-
Tokyo 2020: 'Germany took everyone by surprise,' says Laura Kenny after team pursuit silver medal
The team now looks ahead to the Paris 2024 Games in three years time
-
Tokyo 2020 Olympics track day two: More records tumble, another shock crash and two silvers for Team GB
The second day of action at the Izu Velodrome in Japan
-
Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Cycling world reacts to Denmark's team pursuit 'aero' leg tape
The tape has sparked controversy on social media with mixed reaction
-
Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Everything you need to know about Jason Kenny
The British rider has six Olympic gold medals to his name and will be looking to add to his tally in Japan
