Tokyo 2020 - 'Hard work paid off' - Canada’s Kelsey Mitchell is women’s track sprint Olympic champion

ByBen Southby

Published 08/08/2021 at 03:42 GMT

Kelsey Mitchell secured gold in the velodrome this morning as she won the women’s track sprint competition. UCI world champion Emma Hinze missed out on a podium finish, as Team GB’s Katy Marchant finished sixth. "The hard work has paid off," Mitchell said. You want it? We have it. Stream every Olympic event live on discovery+.

After an eventful morning in the Izu velodrome, Canada’s Kelsey Mitchell rode to victory in the women’s track sprint competition.

The 27-year-old beat Ukraine’s Olena Starikova in the gold final to secure her first Olympic medal.

Speaking to Eurosport, she said: “I’ve heard it four times now [being a gold medallist] and I love it."

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Responding to a question about only being involved in track cycling for five years, she said: “Yeah I tried the track for the first time in 2017.

“I finished playing soccer but wasn’t done with sport.

Cycling came around and I fell in love with it, the hard work has paid off.

Sze Wal Lee representing Hong Kong saw-off the German world champion Emma Hinze in the race for bronze and final podium position.

Team GB’s Katy Marchant finished second in the race for 5th to 8th places, earning a sixth placed finish overall.

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Mitchell only started cycling four years ago at the age of 23, after attending a talent identification programme.

IZU, JAPAN - AUGUST 08: Kelsey Mitchell of Team Canada celebrates winning the gold medal during the Women's sprint finals, race 2 of the track cycling on day sixteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Izu Velodrome on August 08, 2021 in Izu, Shizuoka, Jap

Image credit: Eurosport

In 2019 she won a haul of medals across both individual and team events in the Lima Pan American Games and Cochabamba Pan American Championships.

She won gold in the individual sprint event in Lima, whilst doubling up on the same event at Cochabamba, also securing top prize in the team sprint.

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