The Nominations
Laura Trott seals omnium win at the Games to become double Olympic champion
Event: London Olympics women's omnium - 500m TT
When: 7 August 2012
Where: London Olympic Velodrome
How it unfolded
With one Olympic gold medal already to her name in London after winning the Women’s team pursuit with Dani King and Joanna Rowsell in yet another world record time, (their sixth world record as a team that year) Trott had already shown her form early on at her maiden Olympic Games.
The 20-year-old became the first female British cyclist to win two gold medals at one Olympic Games after edging out American Sarah Hammer in the final event of the women’s omnium, the 500m time-trial. The two went head to head in the final heat, with Trott needing to beat Hammer by three places to win without the need for a count back.
"I can't believe this has happened to me. I came into today not feeling as good as yesterday and to finish off with that last 500m is unbelievable.”
She had entered the final day of the women’s omnium event in first, before dropping to second after the 3km individual pursuit, dropped further back from Hammer in the scratch race before overhauling her in the most dramatic fashion.
Trott was placed second overall after the penultimate event and with just the 500m time trial to go, the pressure was on the Hertfordshire rider. She was just two points behind the current leader Sarah Hammer, with everything to play for in the last event.
Despite this being her first Olympic Games, a stunning time of 35.110 was enough to win the time trial but more importantly, the omnium event itself. With confirmation that Hammer had placed fourth in the time trial, she celebrated her second gold medal in less than a week.
What they said
"I can't believe this has happened to me. I came into today not feeling as good as yesterday and to finish off with that last 500m is unbelievable.”
“I'm peaking at the right time and it's all thanks to the coaches really and the support of the crowd. I'm so happy I can't thank people enough really."
Why should this be the British Cycling's Ride of the Year 2012?
Twenty-year-old Trott became the first female British cyclist to win two gold medals at one Olympic Games. It was never going to be a foregone conclusion that she would win the last race, the 500m time trial. There was a strong field containing, multiple world champion Tara Whitten and Australian rider Annette Edmonson. Edmonson had only lost out to Trott by seven thousandths of a second when they had last met earlier on this year at the world championships in Melbourne.
Trott came out of the starting gate and never looked back. She rode like a seasoned professional, despite her relatively short career on the boards.
