All that glitters is gold and that was the case for a record-setting day for New Zealand at the National Velodrome in Paris today.
Ellesse Andrews made history with a gold medal victory in the women’s keirin after a dominant display. Drawing No 1, Ellesse was just never headed, controlling the pace and powering away for the victory. As simple as that. And as emotional as it gets.
It was so much more than that of course. It was the first cycling gold medal since Sarah Ulmer at Athens 20 years ago.
After her silver in the keirin in Tokyo and her silver with the team pursuit earlier in the week, it means that Ellesse has become the most successful cyclist in terms of Olympic medals. Her feat of three medals surpasses the two for Hayden Roulston, Sam Bewley, Marc Ryanand Jesse Sergent.
The three medals so far – to Ellesse in the keirin, the women team sprint and the women team pursuit – is the most in any Olympic Games for track cycling.
Ellesse negotiated her way brilliantly today - but was not on her own. Rebecca Petch, part of the team sprint trio – capped her campaign making the keirin semifinal in her first attempt.
Petch made the semifinals in BMX Racing in Tokyo, and three years later returned to achieve the same feat in track cycling. It is a quite brilliant performance.
It may not be over yet for sprinters, with Andrews returning alongside Shaane Fulton in the individual sprint.
Once again Aaron Gate came close but no cigar. After fifth placing in the men’s team pursuit, he finished a noble fifth in the omnium. He was marked heavily early, finishing ninth in the scratch race and eighth in the tempo, He was unusually caught blocked inside, to be eliminated early to finish 11th. It left him in nineth overall, 36 points off the lead. Gate lapped the field early to bring himself inside the top 10, and whittled away with key riders taking up camp on his rear wheel as he dragged them around the velodrome. Gate pushed up to fifth but that was his lot, only a handful of points from a medal.
Watch out – Gate has a final fling with Campbell Stewart in the men’s madison.
As well as Fulton and Andrews in qualifying and two rounds of individual sprint, Bryony Botha and Nicole Shields take on the two-rider Madison.
On Saturday the women’s sprint reaches semifinal stage along with the men’s keirin and the men’s madison. Sunday’s final day sees the remarkable Ally Wollaston in the women’s omnium along with the finals of the women’s sprint and men’s keirin.
More records to come?