Australian Women’s Team Pursuit Miss Bronze Medal

Australia’s women’s team pursuit trio of Annette Edmondson and the WAIS pair of Melissa Hoskins and Josephine Tomic have finished fourth at the Olympic Velodrome tonight after losses in the first round to the USA and then Canada in the ride for bronze.

The Aussies, coached by Gary Sutton, brother of the head coach of the all-conquering Great Britain team, Shane Sutton, were on world record pace through the first two kilometres, but wilted slightly to finish in 3min 16.935sec, compared with their opponents’ 3:16.853.

This meant the Australians faced Canada for a bronze medal, with the girls riding a 3:18.06 which was marginally behind the Canadian trio, who claimed the minor medal.

But no team got close to the flying Brits. Their trio of Dani King, Laura Trott and Joanna Rowsell smashed the world record mark they set in qualifying when they registered a blistering 3:14.682sec in the first round. They then smashed their own record later in the session with 3:14.051.

The United States won silver. The difference was the strength and endurance of the Brits.

The Australians got away to a flying 1.07 first kilometre start after being led out by Edmondson, and went through the second kilometre in 2:11.05, but could not sustain that pace.

In contrast, Great Britain went through the second kilometre in 2:11.2, but were still able to power home.