The Second Olympic Day on the Rio Track

The second Olympic track day was all about anticipation of the men’s team pursuit.

The day’s program opened with the women’s team sprint qualifying, won by the Chinese pair with an Olympic record of 32.305.

Then came the men’s individual sprint qualifying, also won with a new Olympic record, 9.551, by the event’s main favorite, Britain’s Jason Kenny.

The sprinters were followed by the men’s pursuiters; the day’s intrigue here was the British team’s readiness, which showed in a world record in the very first round. The British covered the 16 laps (4 km) in 3:50.570 and earned their ticket to the gold final, where Australia, three seconds slower, would challenge them for the Olympic title. Denmark and New Zealand went into the bronze final.

Then came the first round of the women’s team sprint to decide the final pairings, where the Chinese pair again rode brilliantly. This time they also improved the world record, to 31.928, and were paired with the Russians in the gold final, while Australia and Germany would fight for bronze.

12 August 2016
2016 Summer Olympics (Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL)
Women Team Sprint Qualifying
CHINA
GONG Jinjie
ZHONG Tianshi
Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA

The women’s team sprint final was held after the men’s individual sprint 1/16 finals. As expected, the Chinese won convincingly and claimed the day’s first gold.

12 August 2016
2016 Summer Olympics (Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL)
Women Team Sprint
1st : CHINA
GONG Jinjie
ZHONG Tianshi
Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA

After the first finals, the men’s sprint 1/16 finals ended and the final stage of the men’s team pursuit began, brilliantly crowned by the gold final. The British became Olympic champions with yet another world record, 3:50.265.

11 August 2016
2016 Summer Olympics (Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL)
Men Team Pursuit Qualifying
GREAT BRITAIN
CLANCY Edward
BURKE Steven
DOULL Owain
WIGGINS Bradley
Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA

The true jewel of the British team is the legendary Sir Bradley Wiggins, for whom this was a fifth Olympic gold.

12 August 2016
2016 Summer Olympics (Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL)
Men Team Pursuit
1st : GREAT BRITAIN
CLANCY Edward
BURKE Steven
DOULL Owain
WIGGINS Bradley
Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA

Besides five golds, Wiggo’s Olympic haul includes one silver and two bronze medals, making him the most decorated British Olympian!

12 August 2016
2016 Summer Olympics (Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL)
Men Team Pursuit
WIGGINS Bradley (GBR)
Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA

Featured image: Yuzuru SUNADA/www.yuzurusunada.com

Inside post thumbnail image: Yuzuru SUNADA/www.yuzurusunada.com

Special thanks to the Japanese photographer Yuzuru SUNADA for permission to use his works in our publications.

Translated from Georgian with the assistance of Claude (Anthropic), reviewed by the Velorbola editors.