Aussie cyclists snare world record, drought-breaking bronze
- by Admin
- August 6, 2024
For the first time since Sydney 2000, Australia has reached the podium for the men’s team sprint, but it arguably wasn’t the best moment for the green and gold on a successful night at the velodrome in Paris.
That title could quite easily be given to the men’s pursuit team, who set a scintillating world record against defending Olympic champions Italy to progress to the gold medal race, and guarantee at least a silver medal while they were at it.
But the record-setting ride will take nothing away from the sprint team of Matt Glaetzer, Leigh Hoffman and Matthew Richardson, who comfortably beat France to break a string of five consecutive losses in the Olympic bronze medal race.
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“It’s a lot of relief. I’ve been chasing an Olympic medal my whole career and it’s taken 12 years,” Glaetzer told Nine.
“My first Olympics was at 19 years old in London. Every single team sprint we’ve come fourth and it’s been the monkey on the back that I just haven’t been able to shake.”
It was shaken in some style, although only after a poor start in their heat against China which cost the team a chance to grab a spot in the race for gold, and spurred a change in the order.
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Matt Glaetzer finally got his hands on an Olympic medal in the team sprint. Getty
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“To be honest, my teammates were so fast I had to mix it up,” Glaetzer said after shifting out of his usual spot for the bronze medal race.
“I knew that we couldn’t just keep repeating the same because Leigh was just going nuclear in that first lap.
“And I had to make sure that we could maximise that horsepower.”
The team’s bronze medal-winning time was faster than what Great Britain set when the Brits lost to the world record-setting Netherlands in the final, but Glaetzer said there won’t be any regrets about where Australia landed on the podium.
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“Super proud that we got it done,” he said.
“I know a lot of the media put heaps of emphasis on gold medals, but to be honest, any performance that you’re proud of is super valuable, and this bronze is like a gold to me.
“After going 12 years with no Olympic medal and to win a bronze, it’s so special. And to share it with the boys… can’t be more grateful.”
Australia’s men’s pursuit team carved more than a second off the old world record to set up a gold medal ride. Getty
Australia’s medal tally at the velodrome will increase by at least a silver on Thursday morning (AEST) when the men’s pursuit team lines up in the gold medal race against Great Britain.
Their place in the final was locked in with a world record ride, the line-up of Oliver Bleddyn, Conor Leahy, Kelland O’Brien and Sam Welsford getting through the 4000 metres in just three minutes, 40.73 seconds (3:40.730).
That carved more than a second off the previous record – coincidentally set by the Italians when they won gold in Tokyo.
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