GB women claim team sprint gold with new world record at Paris Olympics
New Zealand claim silver, Germany bronze, on a night when records wouldn't stop falling
Great Britain's team sprint women have claimed the first track gold medal of the Paris Olympic Games, setting their third world record of the night as they did so.
The trio of Katy Marchant, Sophie Capewell and Emma Finucane rode to a time of 45.186sec, and beating New Zealand for a surprise silver medal.
Both teams celebrated as though they had won on a night that saw five world records set.
The bronze medal went to Germany, who also went close to registering another world record. Their 45.400sec beat the Netherlands into fourth place.
"It's a dream come true," said Marchant – who led the team off the start line. "We've worked so incredibly hard towards this. There's no two people I'd rather get on the start line with. We're just absolutely over the moon.
Her emotional team-mate Capewell added: “It’s very emotional, it’s been such a long project. We basically sat down as a team and were like ‘this is something we need to work on, we want to qualify for the Games.’ We haven’t just qualified, we’ve won the whole bloody thing!’”
The Great Britain trio began the evening superbly, setting a world record of 45.472sec in qualifying, taking 15 thousandths of a second off the previous mark of 45.487.
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Their ride came towards the end of the list of teams aiming to qualify for the first round, with New Zealand having already ridden to a blistering 45.593.
Tokyo champions China could only qualify a surprise fifth, with 46.544.
Records fell like ninepins in round one of qualifying, with the GB women setting their second world record of the evening as they sped through in the fastest time of 45.338sec.
The New Zealand trio had already set their own world record of 45.348sec, setting up what would be a gold medal final between GB and New Zealand.
New Zealand took the record from Germany, who had booked their place in the bronze medal final with a world record themselves with 45.377sec, beating GB's first round mark. Their would-be opponents the Netherlands knocked out the reigning champions China to set up that appointment.
A total of five world records on a scintillating evening, and this is only the start.
In the ride-offs for the lower placings, Poland beat Canada for seventh place, while Mexico beat China to take fifth.
Paris Olympic Games: women's team sprint final
1. Great Britain 45.186sec
2. New Zealand 45.659
3. Germany 45.400
4. Netherlands 45.690
5. Mexico 46.251
6. China 46.572
7. Poland 47.175
8. Canada 47.631
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