GB’s Finucane powers to gold to defend world sprint title

Defending champion Emma Finucane produced a superb display in the women’s individual sprint to claim her second gold at the Track World Championships.

It caps a remarkable year for the 21-year-old sprinter, who was part of the trio that dominated the women’s team sprint and also became the first British woman to win three cycling medals in the same Olympics in Paris in August.

Finucane proved too strong for Dutch rider Hetty van de Wouw, while Japan’s Mina Sato beat Sophie Capewell to take the bronze.

“It’s really hard trying to defend a title and deal with pressure and expectation but I am really proud of the person I have become doing that,” said Finucane, who won her first sprint title in Glasgow last year.

“I really wanted it. Nothing is easy. To come away on top is insane, it is an amazing feeling. In my head I wanted to go to war.

“That is the kind of head space you have to get into sprinting. I’m not a naturally aggressive person but out on the track I am different.”

Finucane’s triumph came as Britain collected five medals on a successful Friday evening in Ballerup.

Josh Charlton and Jess Roberts took silvers in the men’s individual pursuit and women’s omnium, while Dan Bigham and Joe Truman claimed bronze medals.

Italy’s Jonathan Milan had to set a new world record to beat Charlton to gold in the men’s individual pursuit.

Charlton, who also won silver in the team pursuit, had earlier become only the third man to break four minutes over the 4km distance when he eclipsed the previous world mark set by Filippo Ganna in 2022.

But the 21-year-old was unable to back up that performance in the gold-medal race against Milan, who won with a world best time of three minutes 59.153 seconds.

“I could not have done anything more,” Charlton told BBC Sport.

“I’m not that disappointed if I am honest, it was really good. He just backed it up a bit better.”

Meanwhile, Bigham called time on his career with the national squad by winning individual pursuit bronze in an all-British bronze-medal race against Charlie Tanfield.

Bigham, who is set to dedicate himself to his new role as the head of engineering at World Tour team Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe after the championships, trailed at the halfway stage before eventually pulling well clear and left the track to a guard of honour.

Roberts produced a gutsy ride in the points race to finish behind New Zealand’s Ally Wollaston in the omnium, with Norway’s Anita Stenberg ending up third.

Truman set a new national record as he claimed bronze in the men’s 1km time trial to become the first British medallist in the event since Sir Chris Hoy collected gold in 2007.

“I was stressing about my endurance so to come out and set a British record, I’m buzzing,” he said.

“It is really tough physically and mentally to back up qualifying four hours later but I am pleased with that.”

Harrie Lavreysen set an astonishing time of 57.321 seconds to prevent his Dutch compatriot Jeffrey Hoogland from winning the event for a fourth consecutive occasion.

It also ensured a record 15th rainbow jersey on the track for Lavreysen, 27, who overtakes France’s Arnaud Tournant, who won 14 world titles between 1997 and 2008.