Gold for Anna, bronze for Nettie
 On the final session of track cycling at the London Velodrome, Australia’s hopes lie with Anna Meares in the sprint finals, Shane Perkins in the keirin, and Annette Edmondson finishing off the Omnium. Semi final Anna Meares vs Shuang Guo (CHN): Meares won the first race in a best of three race semi final against Guo. The pair have history, having met in the Beijing 2008 semi final which Meares won when Guo was relegated. Meares went on to win silver, Guo bronze, with Pendleton taking gold. If Meares wins their next race she proceeds into the gold medal race. Race 2: Meares has come over the top of Guo to win the second semi race and lock in a ride-off for gold against Pendelton. The last time the pair clashed was in an epic semi final showdown at this year’s World Championships, and it was always hoped the two finest sprinters would meet in the Olympic final. Meares, 28, will be hoping to reverse the result of the Beijing Olympics, when Pendleton beat her in the final.
Pendleton did the same in race two, much to the delight of the home crowd, sealing her at least a silver medal to add to the gold she won in the keirin. Final Anna Meares vs Victoria Pendleton (GBR): The first race between the pair had everything – a roaring crowd, the photo finish, and a relegation. It seemed impossible to split the pair as they came across the line, but in a photo finish the win was initially awarded to Pendleton by 0.001s. Then the chief commaissaire gave Meares the win after Pendleton was ruled to go outside the red line. In their second meeting Meares came from behind to overtake Pendleton in the final half lap, raising her arms high in the air as she crossed the finish line. Meares' gold medal is Australia's first gold on the track. "Victoria's such a hard-fought opponent and she's dominated the sport for so long," Meares said of her opponent. "It's been such a difficult challenge and to be able to win the Olympic title for me, it's so special. I've tried so much and worked so hard for a long period of time and I've asked a lot of people around me to do the same so it feels like this is a just reward." "My coach said to me, 'one race at a time and you nail it and you execute it to perfection,' and I think I did that," Meares said.
Women’s Omnium - Annette Edmondson BRONZE Omnium event 5 of 6: 10km Scratch Race: Edmondson put in a superb tactical ride in the 10km scratch race to put herself in the prime position for a bronze medal in the women’s omnium. The 20-year-old from Adelaide won the 40-lap discipline after trailing American Sarah Hammer at the bell and outsprinting her to the line. This gave Edmondson the lowest score of one point from the race, which raised her total to 22, well clear of fourth-placed Tara Whitten of Canada, who finished sixth. Hammer, who led Great Britain’s Laura Trott by one point after the first four disciplines, now has a two-point buffer over her opponent with only the 500m time-trial remaining. Hammer has 15 points compared with Trott’s 17. Omnium event 6 of 6: 500m Time Trial: Edmondson has won bronze on Olympic debut by virtue of a sensational 500m time trial to top off her brilliant omnium campaign. Edmondson came second in the final event, clocking 35.140 in the 500m time trial. Great Britain’s Laura Trott was the only rider to go quicker (35.110) which secured her the gold medal on 18 points ahead of Hammer on 19 and Edmondson on 24. Edmondson’s main rival heading into this session, Canada’s Tara Whitten, finished 10th in the time trial which placed her 4th overall, 3 points behind Edmondson.
Men’s Keirin – Shane Perkins 5th Shane Perkins has ridden himself into the final of the keirin with an aggressive ride in the second round. The 2011 world keirin champion took up the first wheel position behind the derny at the start of the six-lap event, and was still in front when the derny peeled off with two and a half laps remaining, and at the bell. Although passed in the back straight, Perkins, 25, found a second wind to lunge on the line and take third placed behind Germany’s Maximilian Levy and New Zealand’s Simon van Velthooven. The first three riders in each heat advance through to the final. In the first heat, five time Olympic gold medallist won easily in a time of 10.354sec. for the last 200m, and looks the man to beat for gold. The final field comprises of Chris Hoy (GBR), Azizulhasni Awang (MAS), Teun Mulder (NED), Maximillian Levy (GER), Simon van Velthooven (NZL) and Perkins. Men's Keirin final: Amid powerful sprinting company Perkins again tried to lead from the front in the keirin final. Perkins looked comfortable in second wheel position but was swamped by other riders when the derny disappeared. Trapped at the back, Perkins tried gallantly to push through on the inside but had to do it the tough way and come around the outside of the pack, finishing fifth. Great Britain's Hoy won the race with Levy (GER) taking silver and van Velthooven and Mulder in a tie for bronze. | |||||
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