Women's 3000m Individual Pursuit

 

2008 World Track Championships - Day 2

Sarah Hammer, Rebecca Romero and Katie Mactier.

MEDAL FINALS

 

The gold medal final was a repeat of last year's Majorca clash, which Hammer won pretty convincingly. However, Romero has developed hugely as a cyclist in the last 12 months and it's easy to forget now that she is still only in her third year in the sport. And how well she's used that 12 months! From the start she came at Hammer like a tiger and she already had almost a second and a half lead at the 1km point.

From then onwards it was all Romero as Hammer cracked: the gap was over 3 and a half seconds at 2km and by the end Romero was in the same straight as her rival. Her time - 3.30.501 - was again outstanding. Romero never faltered and rode right to the finish - heaven only knows how many boat lengths she won by, but what an achievement for this incredible athlete who has now won world titles in both rowing and cycling.

ROMERO Rebecca GBR 3.30.501
beat
HAMMER Sarah USA 3.37.006

The ride off for bronze looked like one-way traffic early on as Katie Mactier built up a two second lead inside half distance. Wendy Houvenaghel dug in and held her for a time and indeed was beginning to come back at her in the closing laps, but in the end Mactier was just too good for her and claimed the medal.

MACTIER Katie AUS 3.32.347
beat
HOUVENAGHEL Wendy GBR 3.34.168

Rider Reaction

Rebecca Romero: In training, Rebecca has made it clear that Gold was all she wanted and she says of this “I’m a sore loser big time and Gold is the ultimate and anything else is losing and I’m not interested. When you want it so badly, and are not satisfied with anything less, you can struggle and get mixed up but it is worth it in the end.”

 

“After such a short time in the sport, to go one step further and win gold is great.  I wanted this so badly. At one point I didn’t think this was going to happen and had to put the brakes on, got on the track and got back the belief I could do it. Overall, it's about enjoying yourself and taking it one day at a time. I was hoping that part of the brain that all great athletes have could kinda make the switch and make it happen and it did and I’m ecstatic!”

 

On the crowd, she said  “I think they made it for me to be honest. I have not experienced anything like that and gave me the edge. It was awesome”.

 

On following up after a very fast qualifier: “Hammer is a class act and every race she backs up faster and I believed I could do it but I knew the main problem would if she did pull out a massive back up ride. You start with the passion and it kinds of feeds you.”

 

Asked about her coach Dan Hunt she said: “There were points around November, December January where things were going downhill in my training and my general life and wellbeing and he has been instrumental in helping me get through that. Every athlete has those points and this has been probably one of the most difficult challenges that I have ever faced and if he wasn’t there by my side being the great coach that he is, then I wouldn’t be where I am. Plain and simple. No athlete ever does it by themselves.”

 

And is she thinking of Beijing? “That is going to be the tough part to follow on from that. It is only upwards.”

Rebecca's day of glory

Rebecca with her coach Dan Hunt who has guided her from the start of her time in cycling three years ago.

Rebecca Romero flying on her way to a national record

 

QUALIFICATION

 

GB's Rebecca Romero and Wendy Hovenaghel put on a fantastic display of Pursuiting to claim places in both medal finals, both breaking the national record in the process.

The Dutch Pursuiters are on fire at these championships and straight away in the first heat of the Women's Pursuit Eleonora Van Dijk was turning in the highly impressive time of 3m 32.505s. That was just about it for the best part of an hour as rider after rider failed to get close.

Wendy Hovenaghel bears down on coach Dan Hunt

Finally, with the penultimate heat saw things change. It was a steady first kilo for both GB's Wendy Hovenaghel and Katie Mactier of Australia, but then the pair of them wound things up. Katie held the advantage for the first couple of kilos but by the time the last kilo was beginning, Wendy was dead level with her rival. The last four laps shot by and to the delight of the crowd Hovenaghel drove to the line to claim top spot and a new national record of 3.31.755.

Sarah Hammer is defending champion

The final heat was beautifully set up with last year's finalists Sarah Hammer of the USA and Rebecca Romero. They both began relatively sedately, but accelerated during the second kilo and at two thirds distance Hammer was fastest, just ahead of Romero. Romero then just turned the screw and moved ahead and absolutely flew to the line in 3.29.593, shattering Hovenaghel's record, which lasted perhaps 8 minutes! Hammer secured her place in the final, but the way Romero flew through that last four laps it ought to be her big chance to claim a world title.

After the heats we spoke to Wendy and Rebecca's coach, Dan Hunt:

"The girls have been going really well in training so there is no surprise they are beating the best girls in the world. There are good conditions in here and a sub 30 ride was on the cards. It was one of those things that we didn't want to hope for but the evidence suggested a '30' was possible. I think that is the first 30 ride outside of Athens so that bodes really well."

Dan Hunt giving Rebecca Romero some verbal help

 

"When the Dutch girl put a 32 on the board, I looked at Becs (Rebecca) and she just smiled and was like, bring it on, this is going to be a good day. She was pumped up and aggressive today but she was also controlled. She just sailed into her lap splits and rode a great race and no-one can take that away from her."

"With a bit of luck, we'll end up with a couple of medals."

On Wendy's ride, "After a winter of discontent which I think is fair comment because we have had our ups and downs so to come out of the World Championships were it counts and put a '31' on the board was fantastic. It was hard as we were backing up (two heats in a row) so I haven't had time to spend with Wendy afterwards but she is very happy there on the rollers after beating Mactier for the first time."

Qualifying

1. ROMERO Rebecca GBR 3.29.593
2. HAMMER Sarah USA 3.31.041
3. HOUVENAGHEL Wendy GBR 3.31.755
4. MACTIER Katie AUS 3.32.043
5. VAN DIJK Eleonora NED 3.32.505
6. KALITOVSKA Lesya UKR 3.33.926
7. SHANKS Alison NZL 3.35.212
8. CALLE WILLIAMS Maria Luisa COL 3.35.505
9. THܒIG Karin SUI 3.36.229
10. JOOS Verena GER 3.36.357
11. SEREIKAITE Vilija LTU 3.36.375
12. KOZLIKOVA Lada CZE 3.37.932
13. CHALYKH Elena RUS 3.39.084
14. BOCHKAROVA Yelizaveta UKR 3.40.415
15. OLABERRIA DORRONSORO Leire ESP 3.41.557
16. WHITTEN Tara CAN 3.42.931
17. GUDERZO Tatiana ITA 3.44.239
18. LEE Min Hye KOR 3.44.930
19. SLYUSAREVA Olga RUS 3.45.304
20. PAULIKAITE Svetlana LTU 3.48.255