Team GB won women’s team pursuit gold as Becky James celebrated keirin silver on a super Saturday to remember at the Rio Olympic Games.
Laura Trott, Katie Archibald, Joanna Rowsell Shand and Elinor Barker smashed the world record to defeat the USA in a time of 4:10.236.
In doing so, 24-year-old Trott became the first British woman to win three Olympic gold medals.
It's #GOLD! WORLD RECORD!
— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) August 13, 2016
Archibald, Trott, Barker and Rowsell Shand are Olympic team pursuit champions!#Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/xX8Vc1HL5b
"[Winning a third gold medal] was something I wanted to achieve and to do it alongside these three girls is just incredible," said Trott.
"The feeling we were getting, it was like this machine was coming together. To come away with a time of 4.10 was honestly incredible."
What on earth just happened! 3x Olympic Champion!! I couldn't be prouder of @_katiearchibald @JoRowsellShand @elinorbarker! #wefriggingdidit
— Laura Trott (@LauraTrott31) August 13, 2016
"This means the world to me," said Rowsell Shand, who now has two Olympic gold medals.
"I won gold four years ago but this was a much harder battle.
"It has not all been going our way over the last two years, but we pulled together."
Keirin silver for Becky James
Olympic debutant James then added silver with a superb late surge in the keirin.
James, who has fought back from a career threatening injury, powered down the outside on the final lap as she finshed behind Elis Ligtlee of the Netherlands, who won gold, with Australian Anna Meares in third.
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"I can't believe it happened," James said.
"I came in with good form and I love the keirin and I love racing. Once I got through the first round I just wanted to enjoy the day. I was at the back and was just thinking 'when do I go, when do I go?'
When you come back from a career threatening injury to win #Olympics #Silver
— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) August 13, 2016
@BecksJames#Rio2016 #CyclingTrack pic.twitter.com/ugzgUZtT9n
"It was so special, I have 10 of my family here - my mum has never been on a long-haul flight before.
"I have had so much support from British Cycling, it has been a tough two years and I couldn't have done it without everyone's help."
Skinner and Kenny into sprint final
A superb day for Team GB was completed when team sprint gold medaillsts Callum Skinner and Jason Kenny guaranteed two more medals and an all-British sprint final on Sunday.
Skinner, who won his first Olympic gold in the team sprint, saw off the challenge of Australian Matthew Glaetzer in his semi-final 2-0.
Defending champion Kenny, though, found himself 1-0 down against Russia’s Denis Dmitriev but produced two fantastic sprints under pressure to make the gold medal final for a third successive Games.
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