China misses out on historic sprint gold
Source: AFP |
August 4, 2012, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
GERMANY'S Miriam Welte and Kristina Vogel were crowned inaugural Olympic women's team sprint champions in controversial fashion following the relegation of China at the Velodrome on Thursday.
Guo Shuang and Gong Jinjie had combined to claim what would have been an historic first Olympic cycling gold for China in the two-lap event, only to be relegated soon after for a slight infringement in the changeover zone.
It meant China, which had smashed the world record twice on its way to the final, was relegated to the silver medal position, with Australia, which beat Ukraine in the battle for third place, winning the bronze.
Guo, China's main hope for gold in the sprint and keirin, and Gong looked devastated on hearing the news. However they returned to the podium for the medal ceremony, smiling as they collected their silvers.
The pair had earlier underlined their gold medal credentials by twice setting a new world record for the two-lap power event in 32.447 and 32.442.
Earlier, Olympic and six-time world sprint champion Victoria Pendleton and Jess Varnish were also relegated from the first round for an "irregular change".
Pendleton and Varnish had signalled their gold medal intentions by beating Welte and Vogel's world record of 32.549sec, set by the German pair last April, to qualify for the gold medal match with China.
But despite protests from British cycling's team chief Dave Brailsford, they were relegated from the first round. The setback ended Pendleton's bid for three gold medals at the Games, in which she is also competing in the sprint and keirin.
Guo Shuang and Gong Jinjie had combined to claim what would have been an historic first Olympic cycling gold for China in the two-lap event, only to be relegated soon after for a slight infringement in the changeover zone.
It meant China, which had smashed the world record twice on its way to the final, was relegated to the silver medal position, with Australia, which beat Ukraine in the battle for third place, winning the bronze.
Guo, China's main hope for gold in the sprint and keirin, and Gong looked devastated on hearing the news. However they returned to the podium for the medal ceremony, smiling as they collected their silvers.
The pair had earlier underlined their gold medal credentials by twice setting a new world record for the two-lap power event in 32.447 and 32.442.
Earlier, Olympic and six-time world sprint champion Victoria Pendleton and Jess Varnish were also relegated from the first round for an "irregular change".
Pendleton and Varnish had signalled their gold medal intentions by beating Welte and Vogel's world record of 32.549sec, set by the German pair last April, to qualify for the gold medal match with China.
But despite protests from British cycling's team chief Dave Brailsford, they were relegated from the first round. The setback ended Pendleton's bid for three gold medals at the Games, in which she is also competing in the sprint and keirin.
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