Great Britain made a flawless start to their quest for track cycling dominance by setting a new Olympic record and snaring a third successive men’s team sprint gold – Team GB’s fourth of the Games – in the velodrome.
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Kenny is the sprint world champion and won the gold in London at the same event.
Hindes, Kenny – champions with Hoy four years ago – and Skinner set an Olympic record in qualifying, but the standard was overtaken by New Zealand, who finished their first round in 42.535.
Dmitriev beat Matthew Glaetzer of Australia for bronze.
The 24-year-old from Abergavenny, the 2013 world Keirin and sprint champion, advanced in supreme fashion by winning her heat. “What we do on the track has no bearing over what we do outside it”.
Whoever wins on Sunday, it’s more cycling success for Team GB.
And despite moving closer to mentor Sir Chris Hoy in the overall medal rankings – with another medal in the keirin in his sights on Tuesday – Kenny was his typically understated self.
Kenny’s storming showing in the sprint, his second gold of the Games alongside Thursday’s men’s team sprint, now sits him second on the list alongside Sir Steve Redgrave and Sir Bradley Wiggins on five but it is yet to sink in for Kenny.
Before another night of drama and action gets into full swing, here’s cycling correspondent Tom Cary on why we need to recognise Jason Kenny as a genuine British sporting great. France has to fail to medal in the event, take gold in 2000, bronze in 2004, and silver in 2008 and 2012.
On their first official ride around the velodrome, they posted a blistering time of 3:51.943 – which was just outside the world record of 3:51.659 that they set during the London 2012 Olympics.
The two finalist have been sharing digs in the Olympic Village and know each other’s race styles inside out after thousands of training session together.
At this rate they will match, or even better, the seven gold medals they won on the boards of Beijing and London.
“Top to bottom it was a good run”, said Hounslow.
Kenny beat fellow Brit Callum Skinner in the final of the Men’s sprint in two straight rounds on Sunday night- returning Britain to second-place in the medal table, behind the USA.
“We had to show the world we were the quickest team – and it has really paid off”. “We’ll see what happens tomorrow but obviously we’ll give it our best shot in every race”, said Kenny.
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Australia was third-fastest qualifiers. “For now, I am focused on recuperating”, Kenny is unsure of whether a sixth gold will come his way.
