Paris Olympics: New Zealand's Ellesse Andrews wins gold medal in women's Sprint
German Lea Friedrich takes silver while British Emma Finucane takes bronze
New Zealand’s Ellesse Andrews won the women’s Sprint at the Paris Olympic Games, only needing two of the three heats in the final to beat Lea Friedrich (Germany) and secure gold.
This marked the second gold medal in Paris for the Kiwi, who had earlier won the Women’s Keirin and also secured silver in the team sprint.
Andrews raced flawlessly, winning all her heats on her way to capturing the top step on the podium.
“I feel like I'm living in a dream. I don't really know what to say. It's been a massive week, and I'm just so proud of how I've managed to carry myself to the end of the competition,” Andrews said.
“She's an amazing rider, all the girls are. So to come up against her, I had to read the race and hopefully create a plan that was going to put me across the line first,” Andrews said of racing against Friedrich.
“I'm just telling myself, 'It’s just one more race and leave it out on the track'. I wanted to finish that race knowing I had absolutely emptied the tank, which I did."
Friedrich had to regroup after losing the first heat in the semi-finals. “When I lost that first heat against Hetty, I said to myself: 'no, Lea, you're going to make it, there's no other way', and I managed (to win).
“It’s unbelievable for me, I can't describe this feeling now. I'm so proud of myself, and it's so nice to see my mother and my father over there. She's my biggest support.”
"It's my first (Olympic) medal in an individual event, I'm so proud of myself. [I'm] also quite tired from the tough week with ups and downs.
In the battle for the bronze, reigning UCI World Champion Emma Finucane (Great Britain) bested Hetty van de Wouw (Netherlands).
“I left everything on that track. I have had a whole week of racing. I'm really proud of how I managed the expectations and the pressure,” Finucane said.
Finucane, who won a bronze medal in the women’s Keirin and was part of the gold-winning Great Britain team in the women’s team sprint, made history as the first British female cyclist to earn three medals in a single Olympic Games.
"I didn't know about this stat until the last two races. Being a part of that is amazing. I met my hero here, Victoria Pendleton, the other day. There are so many icons here. I just hope young girls start to watch track cycling, because it's a pretty cool sport."
Rank | Rider (Country) | Race 1 | Race 2 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Ellesse Andrews (New Zealand) | W | W |
2 | Lea Friedrich (Germany) | Row 1 - Cell 2 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
Rank | Rider (Country) | Race 1 | Race 2 |
---|---|---|---|
3 | Emma Finucane (Great Britain) | W | W |
4 | Hetty van de Wouw (Netherlands) | Row 1 - Cell 2 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
Semifinal
Rank | Rider (Country) | Race 1 | Race 2 | Race 3 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Heat 1 | Row 0 - Cell 1 | Row 0 - Cell 2 | Row 0 - Cell 3 | Row 0 - Cell 4 |
1 | Lea Friedrich (Germany) | Row 1 - Cell 2 | W | W |
2 | Hetty van de Wouw (Netherlands) | W | Row 2 - Cell 3 | Row 2 - Cell 4 |
Heat 2 | Row 3 - Cell 1 | Row 3 - Cell 2 | Row 3 - Cell 3 | Row 3 - Cell 4 |
1 | Ellesse Andrews (New Zealand) | W | W | Row 4 - Cell 4 |
2 | Emma Finucane (Great Britain) | Row 5 - Cell 2 | Row 5 - Cell 3 | Row 5 - Cell 4 |
Quarterfinal
Defending Olympic champion in the women's sprint Kelsey Mitchell endured two rounds of repechages to make it through to the quarterfinal, but her hopes of a second gold medal ended at the hands of Lea Friedrich (Germany) in the quarterfinal round on Saturday.
Emma Finucane (Great Britain) made quick work of defeating Martha Bayona (Colombia), while Ellesse Andrews (New Zealand) beat Emma Hinze (Germany) to move onto Sunday's semifinal.
Hetty van de Wouw (Netherlands) advanced to the semi's over Sophie Capewell (Great Britain).
Friedrich set the world record for the flying 200 metres in the women’s sprint qualification round, as the world record was beaten four times during the flying 200m time trial.
Sophie Capewell (Great Britain) set a time of 10.132, Ellesse Andrews (New Zealand) set 10.108, Emma Finucane (Great Britain) went even faster in 10.067 but Friedrich proved to be fastest and took the new world record in a time of 10.029.
Canada’s Kelsey Mitchell held the previous world record of 10.154 but was only tenth fastest in 10.285.
24 riders qualified for the next round of the women’s sprint, with Yuan of China and Belgium’s Nicky Degrendele not racing after their high-speed crash in the Keirin.
All the big-name favourites then won their single-sprint races to progress to the 1/16 round of the competition.
Canada's Lauriane Genest, the Netherlands' Steffie van der Peet and local hero Taky Kouame of France qualified by winning the repechage sprints.
All three went out in the next round, however, as there were few surprises in the preliminary rounds.
The finals to award the medals on Sunday, the final day of the 2024 Olympic Games.
Rank | Rider (Country) | Race 1 | Race 2 | Race 3 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Heat 1 | Row 0 - Cell 1 | Row 0 - Cell 2 | Row 0 - Cell 3 | Row 0 - Cell 4 |
1 | Lea Friedrich (Germany) | W | W | Row 1 - Cell 4 |
2 | Kelsey Mitchell (Canada) | Row 2 - Cell 2 | Row 2 - Cell 3 | Row 2 - Cell 4 |
Heat 2 | Row 3 - Cell 1 | Row 3 - Cell 2 | Row 3 - Cell 3 | Row 3 - Cell 4 |
1 | Emma Finucane (Great Britain) | W | W | Row 4 - Cell 4 |
2 | Martha Bayona Pineda (Colombia) | Row 5 - Cell 2 | Row 5 - Cell 3 | Row 5 - Cell 4 |
Heat 3 | Row 6 - Cell 1 | Row 6 - Cell 2 | Row 6 - Cell 3 | Row 6 - Cell 4 |
1 | Ellesse Andrews (New Zealand) | W | W | Row 7 - Cell 4 |
2 | Emma Hinze (Germany) | Row 8 - Cell 2 | Row 8 - Cell 3 | Row 8 - Cell 4 |
Heat 4 | Row 9 - Cell 1 | Row 9 - Cell 2 | Row 9 - Cell 3 | Row 9 - Cell 4 |
1 | Hetty van de Wouw (Netherlands) | W | W | Row 10 - Cell 4 |
2 | Sophie Capewell (Great Britain) | Row 11 - Cell 2 | Row 11 - Cell 3 | Row 11 - Cell 4 |
Qualifying
Rank | Rider (Country) | Time |
---|---|---|
1 | Lea Friedrich (Germany) | 10.029 (WR) |
2 | Emma Finucane (Great Britain) | 10.067 |
3 | Ellesse Andrews (New Zealand) | 10.108 |
4 | Sophie Capewell (Great Britain) | 10.132 |
5 | Mathilde Gros (France) | 10.182 |
6 | Emma Hinze (Germany) | 10.198 |
7 | Mina Sato (Japan) | 10.257 |
8 | Hetty van de Wouw (Netherlands) | 10.263 |
9 | Shaane Fulton (New Zealand) | 10.281 |
10 | Kelsey Mitchell (Canada) | 10.285 |
11 | Kristina Clonan (Australia) | 10.31 |
12 | Lauriane Genest (Canada) | 10.31 |
13 | Martha Bayona Pineda (Colombia) | 10.411 |
14 | Steffie van der Peet (Netherlands) | 10.479 |
15 | Stefany Cuadrado Florez (Colombia) | 10.508 |
16 | Miriam Vece (Italy) | 10.56 |
17 | Daniela Gaxiola Gonzalez (Mexico) | 10.581 |
18 | Taky Marie Divine Kouame (France) | 10.634 |
19 | Yuli Verdugo Osuna (Mexico) | 10.637 |
20 | Riyu Ohta (Japan) | 10.659 |
21 | Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri (Malaysia) | 10.709 |
22 | Shanju Bao (People's Republic of China) | 10.744 |
23 | Marlena Karwacka (Poland) | 10.758 |
24 | Julie Nicolaes (Belgium) | 10.809 |
25 | Nikola Sibiak (Poland) | 10.945 |
26 | Sara Fiorin (Italy) | 11.085 |
27 | Chloe Moran (Australia) | 11.112 |
28 | Ese Ukpeseraye (Nigeria) | 11.652 |
DNS | Nicky Degrendele (Belgium) | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Liying Yuan (People's Republic of China) | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
1/32 Final
Rank | Rider (Country) | Time |
---|---|---|
Heat 1 | Row 0 - Cell 1 | Row 0 - Cell 2 |
1 | Lea Friedrich (Germany) | 10.997 |
2 | Julie Nicolaes (Belgium) | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
Heat 2 | Row 3 - Cell 1 | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
1 | Emma Finucane (Great Britain) | 11.172 |
2 | Marlena Karwacka (Poland) | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
Heat 3 | Row 6 - Cell 1 | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
1 | Ellesse Andrews (New Zealand) | 10.986 |
2 | Shanju Bao (People's Republic of China) | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
Heat 4 | Row 9 - Cell 1 | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
1 | Sophie Capewell (Great Britain) | 10.886 |
2 | Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri (Malaysia) | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
Heat 5 | Row 12 - Cell 1 | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
1 | Mathilde Gros (France) | 11.001 |
2 | Riyu Ohta (Japan) | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
Heat 6 | Row 15 - Cell 1 | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
1 | Emma Hinze (Germany) | 10.928 |
2 | Yuli Verdugo Osuna (Mexico) | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
Heat 7 | Row 18 - Cell 1 | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
1 | Mina Sato (Japan) | 11.023 |
2 | Taky Marie Divine Kouame (France) | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
Heat 8 | Row 21 - Cell 1 | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
1 | Hetty van de Wouw (Netherlands) | 10.883 |
2 | Daniela Gaxiola Gonzalez (Mexico) | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
Heat 9 | Row 24 - Cell 1 | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
1 | Shaane Fulton (New Zealand) | 10.933 |
2 | Miriam Vece (Italy) | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
Heat 10 | Row 27 - Cell 1 | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
1 | Kelsey Mitchell (Canada) | 10.85 |
2 | Stefany Cuadrado Florez (Colombia) | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
Heat 11 | Row 30 - Cell 1 | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
1 | Kristina Clonan (Australia) | 10.98 |
2 | Steffie van der Peet (Netherlands) | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
Heat 12 | Row 33 - Cell 1 | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
1 | Martha Bayona Pineda (Colombia) | 10.932 |
2 | Lauriane Genest (Canada) | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
Repechage Heat 1 | Row 36 - Cell 1 | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
1 | Daniela Gaxiola Gonzalez (Mexico) | 11.085 |
2 | Miriam Vece (Italy) | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
3 | Julie Nicolaes (Belgium) | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
Repechage Heat 2 | Row 40 - Cell 1 | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
1 | Taky Marie Divine Kouame (France) | 11.211 |
2 | Marlena Karwacka (Poland) | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
3 | Stefany Cuadrado Florez (Colombia) | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
Repechage Heat 3 | Row 44 - Cell 1 | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
1 | Steffie van der Peet (Netherlands) | 11.155 |
2 | Yuli Verdugo Osuna (Mexico) | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
3 | Shanju Bao (People's Republic of China) | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
Repechage Heat 4 | Row 48 - Cell 1 | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
1 | Lauriane Genest (Canada) | 10.986 |
2 | Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri (Malaysia) | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
3 | Riyu Ohta (Japan) | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
1/16 Final
Rank | Rider (Country) | Time |
---|---|---|
Heat 1 | Row 0 - Cell 1 | Row 0 - Cell 2 |
1 | Lea Friedrich (Germany) | 10.671 |
2 | Lauriane Genest (Canada) | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
Row 3 - Cell 0 | Row 3 - Cell 1 | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
Heat 2 | Row 4 - Cell 1 | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
1 | Emma Finucane (Great Britain) | 11.203 |
2 | Steffie van der Peet (Netherlands) | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
Row 7 - Cell 0 | Row 7 - Cell 1 | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
Heat 3 | Row 8 - Cell 1 | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
1 | Ellesse Andrews (New Zealand) | 11.271 |
2 | Taky Marie Divine Kouame (France) | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
Row 11 - Cell 0 | Row 11 - Cell 1 | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
Heat 4 | Row 12 - Cell 1 | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
1 | Sophie Capewell (Great Britain) | 10.81 |
2 | Daniela Gaxiola Gonzalez (Mexico) | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
Row 15 - Cell 0 | Row 15 - Cell 1 | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
Heat 5 | Row 16 - Cell 1 | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
1 | Mathilde Gros (France) | 10.788 |
2 | Martha Bayona Pineda (Colombia) | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
Row 19 - Cell 0 | Row 19 - Cell 1 | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
Heat 6 | Row 20 - Cell 1 | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
1 | Emma Hinze (Germany) | 10.886 |
2 | Kristina Clonan (Australia) | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
Row 23 - Cell 0 | Row 23 - Cell 1 | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
Heat 7 | Row 24 - Cell 1 | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
1 | Mina Sato (Japan) | 10.816 |
2 | Kelsey Mitchell (Canada) | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
Row 27 - Cell 0 | Row 27 - Cell 1 | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
Heat 8 | Row 28 - Cell 1 | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
1 | Hetty van de Wouw (Netherlands) | 10.769 |
2 | Shaane Fulton (New Zealand) | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
Rank | Rider (Country) | Time |
---|---|---|
Heat 1 | Row 0 - Cell 1 | Row 0 - Cell 2 |
1 | Shaane Fulton (New Zealand) | 10.875 |
2 | Lauriane Genest (Canada) | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
Row 3 - Cell 0 | Row 3 - Cell 1 | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
Heat 2 | Row 4 - Cell 1 | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
1 | Kelsey Mitchell (Canada) | 10.846 |
2 | Steffie van der Peet (Netherlands) | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
Row 7 - Cell 0 | Row 7 - Cell 1 | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
Heat 3 | Row 8 - Cell 1 | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
1 | Kristina Clonan (Australia) | 10.804 |
2 | Taky Marie Divine Kouame (France) | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
Row 11 - Cell 0 | Row 11 - Cell 1 | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
Heat 4 | Row 12 - Cell 1 | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
1 | Martha Bayona Pineda (Colombia) | 11.081 |
2 | Daniela Gaxiola Gonzalez (Mexico) | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
1/8 Final
Rank | Rider (Country) | Time |
---|---|---|
Heat 1 | Row 0 - Cell 1 | Row 0 - Cell 2 |
1 | Lea Friedrich (Germany) | 10.716 |
2 | Martha Bayona Pineda (Colombia) | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
Heat 2 | Row 3 - Cell 1 | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
1 | Emma Finucane (Great Britain) | 10.549 |
2 | Kristina Clonan (Australia) | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
Heat 3 | Row 6 - Cell 1 | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
1 | Ellesse Andrews (New Zealand) | 10.917 |
2 | Kelsey Mitchell (Canada) | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
Heat 4 | Row 9 - Cell 1 | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
1 | Sophie Capewell (Great Britain) | 10.811 |
2 | Shaane Fulton (New Zealand) | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
Heat 5 | Row 12 - Cell 1 | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
1 | Hetty van de Wouw (Netherlands) | 10.732 |
2 | Mathilde Gros (France) | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
Heat 6 | Row 15 - Cell 1 | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
1 | Emma Hinze (Germany) | 10.838 |
2 | Mina Sato (Japan) | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
Rank | Rider (Country) | Time |
---|---|---|
Heat 1 | Row 0 - Cell 1 | Row 0 - Cell 2 |
1 | Martha Bayona Pineda (Colombia) | 10.871 |
2 | Mathilde Gros (France) | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
3 | Shaane Fulton (New Zealand) | Legend |
Heat 2 | Row 4 - Cell 1 | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
1 | Kelsey Mitchell (Canada) | 10.613 |
2 | Mina Sato (Japan) | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
3 | Kristina Clonan (Australia) | Legend |
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Lyne has been involved in professional cycling for more than 15 years in both news reporting and sports marketing. She founded Podium Insight in 2008, quickly becoming a trusted source for news of the North American professional cycling world. She was the first to successfully use social media to consistently provide timely and live race updates for all fans. She is proud to have covered men's and women's news equally during her tenure at the helm of the site. Her writing has appeared on Cyclingnews and other news sites.
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