TRACK CYCLING: Australian sprinters Anna Meares and Shane Perkins were in action at the track again on Night 10. Omnium World Champion silver medallist Annette Edmondson also contested the first three events of the omnium. Here is how the action unfolded.

Sprints:

Australia’s Shane Perkins will ride off for the bronze medal after losing his semi-final in straight heats to Frenchman Gregory Bauge today.

Perkins, 25, tried valiantly to overcome the Frenchman in the first heat, but Bauge had too much speed, coming over the top in 10.358sec. for the last 200m.

In the second heat, Perkins started from behind his opponent, and again did not have the speed to get past his opponent, failing by half a wheel, with the last 200m completed in a faster 10.268sec.

The result means Perkins will meet Trinidad’s Njisane Phillip in the ride-off for bronze, after the Trinidad rider was beaten by Great Britain’s Jason Kenny, who was the fastest qualifier in the event yesterday.

Kenny, who was preferred to five times gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy for the ride in the sprint, also won in straight heats.

In the women’s sprint quarter finals, Australia’s Anna Meares cruised through her opening heat against Ukraine’s Lyubov Shulika, leading from the front, and riding the last 200m in 10.4sec.

*Update*

Perkins has won the bronze medal with two brilliant rides against Trinidad’s Njisane Phillip at the Olympic Velodrome.

The 25-year-old came from behind in the first heat to get over the top of his opponent, and employed superior tactics to win the second.

Perkins upstaged Phillip at the bell in the second heat, forging well clear, and gave his opponent no chance of catching him.

Great Britain’s Jason Kenny vindicated his selection for the sprint ahead of five-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy by winning the gold medal.

Kenny had too much speed for Frenchman Gregory Bauge, who is also the world champion, also winning in straight heats.

Kenny was preferred instead of Hoy after being faster than the Scotsman at the past two World Championships.

In the women’s sprint, the quarter finals went according to the seedings, with Anna Meares now scheduled to meet China’s Guo Shang in a semi final tomorrow.

Great Britain’s Victoria Pendleton will ride off against Germany’s Kristina Vogel in the other semi-final.

 

Omnium event 1 of 6: 200m flying lap

In the opening event of the women’s omnium, Australia’s Annette Edmondson, silver medallist at the world championships in Melbourne, produced a faster time than in Melbourne for the first discipline, the 200m flying lap, but finished third.

But Great Britain’s Laura Trott, who was slower than Edmondson in Melbourne, improved significantly.

The 20-year-old team sprint gold medallist rode 14.057sec. today, compared with 14.391sec. in Melbourne.

Trott won the discipline by just one thousandth of a second from Frenchwoman Clara Sanchez, who rode a time of 14.058sec.

Omnium event 2 of 6: Points race

Edmondson is fourth overall in the omnium after the points race behind American Sarah Hammer and Canada’s Tara Whitten (10 points) and Great Britain’s Laura Trott (11).

Edmondson has 14 points after finishing 11th in the 80-lap event, one place behind her biggest rival, Trott.

Both riders were content to mark each other and did not expend too much energy in trying to take a lap on the field, as did nine of their opponents.

The points race was won by Poland’s Malgorzata Wojtyra, who was 13th in the flying lap, and is equal on points with Edmondson.

Omnium event 3 of 6: Elimination race

Edmondson is now third in the omnium after completing the third discipline – the elimination race.

The 20-year-old from Adelaide rode strongly for third placing behind Great Britain’s Laura Trott and American Sarah Hammer, but had nothing left in the home straight after hitting out 150m from home.

Trott got over the top of Hammer to win comfortably. They are equal on top with 12 points apiece, from Edmondson (17) and Canadian Tara Whitten, fourth on 18.

The omnium concludes tomorrow with a 3km individual pursuit in the morning’s session, and a 10km scratch race and 500m time-trial in the afternoon.

Michael Stevens in London
Olympics.com.au