“I’m proud to be part of the team’s Olympic success and doing my bit”.
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Hammer beat Belgium’s Jolien D’Hoore for second place, earning her second silver in the velodrome.
On day 11 of the Rio Games cyclist Laura Trott became the most successful British female Olympian in history as she won her fourth gold medal in the Omnium. “Ten gold medals between me and Laura. that’s not bad going!” French team director Isabelle Gautheron questioned whether Team GB had special wheels as they swept to seven track cycling golds at London 2012. It was insane. I had some problems with the bike before, and we tried to fix it, but obviously not enough.
Earlier, Trott crushed the opposition to retain her women’s track cycling omnium title, becoming the first British woman to win four Olympic gold medals.
All Trott’s gold medals have been at the expense of Hammer, the American who must be sick of the sight of her rear wheel.
Trott is seeking her second gold medal at Rio after helping Great Britain defend the team pursuit title they won at London 2012. He and bronze medalist Azizulhasni Awang of Malaysia seemed to have jumped the gun in the final.
At 28, Kenny will have Sir Bradley Wiggins’ record of eight Olympic medals in his sights and Trott could look to add even more to her haul at four years his junior. She also earned a silver in the team pursuit on Friday. I went there without expectations, so to win two gold was just incredible.
As the riders geared up to start the sprint again with two and a half laps left, German World Champion Joachim Eilers appeared to have overtaken the derny bike as he lead the pack at the top of the track.
After taking gold, Kenny embraced his fiancee and fellow gold medal victor Laura Trott, who was in tears in the centre of the track. This makes him Britain’s joint most successful Olympian overall in terms of golds, on a par with fellow cycling legend Chris Hoy.
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Britain are guaranteed at least one medal in the women’s sprint after Becky James and Katy Marchant, the first and second-fastest qualifiers, advanced to the semi-finals. It’s an event she loves and everyone else ducks for cover and needs a lie down in a dark room afterwards.
