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29th Olympic Games - JO
Beijing, China, August 9-23, 2008
Main Page Results Previous Event Next Event
Event 7 - August 15: Women's Individual Pursuit Qualifying Round
More British domination in women's pursuit
By Laura Weislo
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Great Britain continued its domination of the first day of track racing by putting both of its women at the top of the individual pursuit qualifying board. Wendy Houvenaghel clocked a 3'28.443 as the fastest time just ahead of the world champion Rebecca Romero, with the 20-year-old Ukrainian Lesya Kalitovska in third more than three seconds in arrears.
New Zealand's Alison Shanks was fourth fastest, pacing a bit better than Sarah Hammer (USA), who faded in the final kilometre. The former world champion will have a second chance at making the medals in Saturday's first round heats as will Lithuanian Vilija Sereikaite, Katie Mactier (Australia) and Lada Kozlikova (Czech Republic). Road time trial bronze medallist Karin Thürig slipped just outside the next round in ninth.
"It was ugly for me personally," Hammer said of her qualifying heat. "That's not how I hope to feel. My body wasn't handling it today. Four laps in I was like, 'oh, this is not going to be fun.' It was just a bad day. I was a little nervous, so I'm lucky it's over three rounds."
The top eight riders will go head-to-head in Saturday's first round, where the fastest two will advance to the gold medal final on Sunday and the third and fourth best will contend for the bronze.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by AFP Photo
- Wendy Houvenaghel (Great Britain) clocks the fastest time in qualifying for the women's individual pursuit.
Images by Casey Gibson/www.cbgphoto.com
- Wendy Houvenhagel (Great Britain) went faster than world champion Rebecca Romero to qualify first.
- Katie Mactier (Australia) moved on to the next round, but put in a disappointing time.
- Sarah Hammer (USA) never got up to the speed which won her two world championships.
- Rebecca Romero (Great Britain) cruised to a second placed qualification.
- Sarah Hammer had a tough day in the pursuit and was eliminated.
- Great Britain's Wendy Houvenhaghel moves on to the gold medal final.
- Pursuit favourite Katy Mactier didn't do well today.
- Defending world Champ Rebecca Romero in the pursuit.
Images by Rob Jones/www.canadiancyclist.com
- Lada Kozlikova (Czech Republic) took the last spot in the next round in eighth.
- Vilija Sereikaite (Lithuania) made the next round by taking sixth.
- Lesya Kalitovska (Ukraine) put in a strong performance in third.
- Alison Shanks (New Zealand) put in a surprising fourth place.
- Sarah Hammer (United States) wasn't happy with her ride, but gets a second chance on Saturday.
- Wendy Houvenaghel (Great Britain)
- Katie Mactier (Australia) squeaked through qualifying in 7th place
- Rebecca Romero (Great Britain) qualified second
- Sarah Hammer struggled in qualifying
- Wendy Houvenaghel set the fastest time in in qualifying
Images by Greg Chang/PhotoSport International
- Wendy Houvenhagel (Great Britain) paced herself perfectly to put in the fastest time.
Results
1 Wendy Houvenaghel (Great Britain) 3.28.443 (51.812km/h) 2 Rebecca Romero (Great Britain) 3.28.641 3 Lesya Kalitovska (Ukraine) 3.31.942 4 Alison Shanks (New Zealand) 3.34.312 5 Sarah Hammer (United States) 3.35.471 6 Vilija Sereikaite (Lithuania) 3.36.063 7 Katie Mactier (Australia) 3.38.178 8 Lada Kozlikova (Czech Republic) 3.39.561 9 Karin Thurig (Switzerland) 3.40.862 10 Maria Luisa Calle (Colombia) 3.41.175 11 Verena Jooss (Germany) 3.44.480 12 Svetlana Pauliukaite (Lithuania) 3.45.691 13 Evelyn Garcia (El Salvador) 3.56.849
