Team GB's Jason Kenny became a five-time Olympic gold medallist as he beat teammate Callum Skinner to the title in the men’s sprint in Rio.
Kenny retained the Olympic men’s sprint title, as he joined the elite group of the greatest British Olympians of all time; Sir Bradley Wiggins and Sir Steve Redgrave, who both have five gold medals.
"It is special, really special," said Kenny.
"I'm really grateful. When we win, it feels like the team is winning and we have everyone behind us, pushing us."
Skinner said: "The whole journey has been incredible. I got beaten by the world champion and he had the tactics and the legs. The main focus has been the team sprint, so to come away with anything else was a bonus."
The rider from Bolton beat teammate Callum Skinner in the gold medal final, giving Team GB gold and silver in the event; a repeat of the performance in Beijing 2008, when Kenny won silver behind Sir Chris Hoy.
The much anticipated head to head between reigning Olympic champion Jason Kenny and 2016 sensation Callum Skinner went the experienced rider’s way, as Kenny overtook Skinner on the top bend and accelerated through the home straight.
Men's omnium
Mark Cavendish’s Olympics got off to a solid start with a sixth place finish in the scratch race, a repeat in fact of his performance at the world championships in London, earlier in the year.
Four riders took a lap on the peloton as the scratch race reached the closing stages but Cavendish used his sprinting prowess to cross the line in second place in the bunch sprint.
Cavendish came out and rode 10 seconds faster than the individual pursuit he produced in the world championship omnium back in the spring.
Only Lasse Hansen rode quicker than the Manx Missile; the Danish rider taking maximum points from the first two events and leading the standings, while Cavendish rose to third overall.
In the elimination race however, Hansen was the first rider to be eliminated which left the standings wide open.
Cavendish looked strong but made a mistake by riding on the inside of the track during a sprint and was eliminated in seventh place.
The British rider will head into the second day of competition with 96 points in third place in the overall standings behind Elia Viviani on 104 and Thomas Boudat on 106.
Women's sprint
Becky James showed no signs of fatigue from her brilliant silver medal in the keirin last night when she rolled out onto the track to complete her qualifying flying lap for the women’s sprint.
James crossed the line in 10.721 seconds - a new Olympic record for the Welsh rider, beating the time set by the great Victoria Pendleton four years previously.
Gallery
It was a repeat of the men’s event when Katy Marchant completed her qualifying effort, as she set the second best time of the competition, behind her teammate James, meaning the British women were seeded first and second and could not meet again until the final.
James’ opponent in the 1/16 finals was Azerbaijan’s Olga Ismayilova, who had no answer for the British rider’s acceleration into the third lap and James moved into the 1/8 finals with ease.
Katy Marchant joined James in the 1/8 finals by flying past her competitor Monique Sullivan and winning her heat with space to spare.
Both riders will be in action on the track again tomorrow from 2pm.
