Team GB clinched the bronze in the women’s team pursuit, staging an impressive comeback against Italy at the velodrome this afternoon.
Great Britain found themselves more than a second behind at the halfway mark but executed a thrilling turnaround to secure another cycling medal.
This victory follows the men’s silver in the same event earlier at the Paris Olympics.
At the conclusion, disaster nearly struck as Ethan Hayter appeared to fall off his saddle, desperately clinging to the handlebars to safely cross the finish line on his bike.
However, the GB women’s team avoided any such dramas, concluding the race emphatically after overcoming a daunting Italian lead in the final laps.
Team GB clinched bronze in the women’s team pursuit after a spirited comeback against Italy
Great Britain found themselves over a second behind at halfway
They executed a dramatic turnaround to secure another cycling medal
The team consisting of Elinor Barker, Josie Knight, Anna Morris, and Jess Roberts did not have the best start in the bronze-medal match, going in as slight favorites.
The Italians quickly built a lead of over 0.5 seconds in the first kilometer, but there were ongoing questions about their ability to maintain that pace.
The Italian team continued to push, and by the halfway point, they had created a formidable one-second advantage.
However, their fatigue began to show, and they were the first to substitute a rider shortly after as Great Britain maintained their lineup.
After another kilometer, they had narrowed the Italians’ lead to 0.666 seconds and were poised for a final sprint for bronze.
The British team demonstrated incredible composure, overtaking the Italians in the concluding moments to finish with a time of 4 minutes and 6.382 seconds.
Minutes later, Team USA narrowly defeated New Zealand for the gold medal by 0.6 seconds, clocking in at 4 minutes and 4.306 seconds, just shy of a world record.
This latest medal adds to a successful Olympics for Britain’s cyclists at the velodrome.
GB’s women avoided dramas like those faced by the men and ended the race in emphatic fashion
Anna Morris celebrated joyously after Team GB achieved another cycling medal
The team of Elinor Barker, Josie Knight, Anna Morris and Jess Roberts began the race poorly but ultimately triumphed
Earlier on Wednesday, the men’s team secured silver in the team pursuit following their loss to Australia in a nail-biting final.
The team comprising Ethan Hayter, Dan Bigham, Charlie Tanfield, and Ethan Vernon approached the final against Australia as underdogs after their rivals broke the world record in earlier heats.
Bigham stepped in as a late replacement for Ollie Wood, missing the first round on Tuesday.
The British squad began strongly in the 16-lap race, matching their opponents’ early pace closely.
As the race unfolded, Team GB kept within two-hundredths of a second of Australia, setting up for a thrilling finish.
As the bell rang for the final 250 meters, it was poised for an exhilarating conclusion with GB trailing by just 0.168 seconds.
However, calamity occurred as Hayter experienced a broken saddle, leaving him struggling to maintain his grip on the handlebars to finish the race.
He later recounted to the BBC: ‘I just pushed too hard and my body really weakened and I couldn’t hold myself on the bike.’
‘I honestly don’t know how I managed to stay on.’
The Italians surged to an initial lead of over 0.5 seconds in the first kilometer
Italian fatigue began to show as they were the first to swap a rider while Great Britain maintained their lineup
Minutes later, Team USA narrowly defeated New Zealand for the gold by 0.6 seconds
Australia triumphed with an impressive time of 3 minutes and 42.067 seconds, while Team GB achieved their fastest time of the event.
After the race, it was revealed that the Team GB rider had merely fallen off his seat while leaning forward on the bike, contributing to his struggle during the race.
During this tense moment, Hayter also appeared to inadvertently touch wheels with a teammate while speeding at around 45 mph, making it all the more remarkable that the cyclists managed to stay upright.
