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Australia has broken the men’s team pursuit world record on day two of the Olympic track cycling program.
The combination of Olympic medallists Sam Welsford, Kelland O’Brien, plus Games debutants Conor Leahy and Oliver Bleddyn, clocked an incredible time of 3 minutes and 40.730 seconds to easily beat reigning Games champions Italy in their round-one heat.
That sets up a gold-medal ride on Wednesday against Great Britain, Australia’s long-time fierce rivals in the event.
The previous world record was 3:42.032, set by Italy at the Tokyo Olympics.
The world record came as Australia won bronze in the men’s team sprint, beating France in their ride-off.
The combination of Leigh Hoffman, Matthew Richardson and Matthew Glaetzer rode 41.597 seconds to beat France’s 41.993 in front of the raucous and parochial home crowd at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines velodrome outside Paris.
Australia’s Matthew Richardson celebrates clinching the bronze medal of the men’s team sprint event.(AP Photo: Thibault Camus)
Had they posted that time earlier on Tuesday in the first round, Australia would have ridden off against the Netherlands for the gold medal.
But Australia only managed 42.336, while the Dutch broke their own record.
The Dutch reduced the world mark again as they beat Great Britain in the final, clocking 40.979 to 41.814. They are the first team to go sub-41.
While it is Australia’s first Olympic medal in the event since bronze at the Sydney Games, they made no secret of their gold medal aspirations.
Australia had upset the powerful Dutch to win the 2022 world title and were narrowly runners-up to them at last year’s worlds.
Despite missing out on the gold medal, Glaetzer said it was “a lot of relief” after claiming the drought-breaking medal in the team sprint for Australia.
“I’ve been chasing an Olympic medal my whole career and it’s taken 12 years,” he said.
“Every single team sprint we’ve come fourth and it’s been the monkey on the back that we just haven’t been able to shake.
“We’ve lost to France twice in the Olympic final as well for bronze, and when we were heading up against them again I’m like, ‘Here we go.’
“We’ve won the world title two years ago, came second last year. We’ve been right up there and just really didn’t want to let the boys down on this stage.
“Super proud that we got it done. I know a lot of the media put heaps of emphasis on gold medals, but to be honest, any performance that you’re proud of is super valuable, and this bronze is like a gold to me, to be honest.
“I mean, after going 12 years with no Olympic medal and to win a bronze, it’s so special. And to share it with the boys, I couldn’t be more grateful.”
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Australia had qualified fastest in the men’s team pursuit on Monday, but it was unclear which teams were riding to schedules and saving their best for the first round.
The Australians beat Italy by more than two seconds — a whopping margin.
Australia last won the men’s team pursuit gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics and finished runner-ups to the British at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.
They won bronze in Tokyo — Australia’s only medal on the track at those Olympics — after Alex Porter face-planted in qualifying when his handlebar snapped off.
Also on Tuesday, Australia was sixth-fastest in women’s team pursuit qualifying.
AAP
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Source link : https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-07/paris-olympic-games-cycling-team-pursuit-record-australia/104192734
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Publish date : 2024-08-06 20:46:49
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