The Australian and US cycling teams take gold in the pursuit event. GETTY IMAGES

Australia and the United States won gold in the men's and women's team pursuit on Wednesday. They lived up to the predictions and the Oceanians regained the dominance they had enjoyed in Athens 2004. They had not been on the top of the podium since. In the women's competition, the US quartet were the favourites and they did not disappoint. It was a narrow victory, but the glory went to the Americans.

Twenty years later, Australia reclaimed the men's golf crown by defeating Great Britain in a thrilling final. Italy secured the bronze medal. In the women's event, the US team emerged victorious over New Zealand in a contest that nearly set a world record. Great Britain finished in third place, taking the bronze.

In the men's race, Australia reasserted their dominance of the velodrome and took gold, much to the delight of the Australians. Great Britain took silver and Italy bronze.

Australia faced Great Britain in the final after Italy topped the podium at Tokyo 2020 and after a period in which Denmark took advantage to win major titles such as the World Championships. This is a discipline in which it is very difficult to steal the limelight from the favourites.



Australia had not won a gold medal since 2004. Great Britain has 16 Olympic medals in the men's team pursuit, winning gold in Beijing, London and Rio. However, they have suffered the loss of Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins and Ed Clancy. They finished seventh in Tokyo three years ago.

There was no record in the final, but the Australians beat the British by more than a second with a time of 3.42.067 at almost 65 kilometres per hour. The Australians had set the world and Olympic record the day before, stopping the clock at 3.40.730, and went into the velodrome as favourites.

Up until the middle of the race it was all even, just a tenth of a second ahead of the Australians, but as the Oceanians began to pull away, a mechanical problem on the bike of Briton Ethan Hayanter ended his team's hopes. They were down to three riders. When they were down to two, the gold went to Australia. The Australian Olympic quartet were Oliver Bleddyn, Sam Welsford, Conor Leahy and Kelland O'brien. The British silver medallists were Ethan Edward Hayter, Daniel Bigham, Ethan Vernon and Charlie Tanfield.

USA women's quartet in action on the track. GETTY IMAGES
USA women's quartet in action on the track. GETTY IMAGES

Minutes earlier, the bronze medal race had been a one-sided battle between the ever-competitive Danes and the Italians. The latter were defending their Tokyo 2020 title.  The Italians gave no quarter and took bronze with the quartet of Simone Consonni, Filippo Ganna, Francesco Lamon and Jonathan Milan.

 In the middle of the race, the power of Filippo Ganna, one of the best time trialists in the professional road cycling peloton, who only ten days ago won the silver medal in the time trial behind Remco Evenepoel, came to the fore. Ganna broke away from the group and made the difference. 

So did Jonathan Milan, who has had a spectacular year for him, after also proving that he is one of the best sprinters on the road. Their long-distance status was never in evidence, and they adapted perfectly to the French velodrome to give their country a bronze medal. Denmark was fourth, the most painful place to be. New Zealand and France were fifth and sixth, and Canada and Belgium were seventh and eighth.

Great Britain's men's quartet takes silver at Paris 2024. GETTY IMAGES
Great Britain's men's quartet takes silver at Paris 2024. GETTY IMAGES

Minutes later, the USA beat New Zealand in the final duel in the women's team pursuit. Just six-hundredths of a second separated the quartets in an exciting and evenly matched final. Great Britain beat Italy more comfortably to complete the women's podium.

The US quartet finished with a time of 4.04.306, just one hundredth of the world record held by Germany since Tokyo 2021. It was a performance to remember. 

The quartet was made up of Jennifer Valente, Lily Williams, Chloe Dygert and Kristen Faulkner. Two of the quartet, time trial bronze medallist Chloé Dygert and road champion Kristen Faulkner, have already won road medals at Paris 2024. The other top spots went to France and Germany in fifth and sixth, and Australia and Canada in seventh and eighth.

The day was completed with the classification rounds of the sprint and Keirin disciplines, both in the men's and women's categories. The gold medals in the individual sprint, Keirin and Madison events are still to be decided. There will be track cycling until Sunday, 11 August, the closing day of the Olympic Games.



Results of the day:

Medals in the men's team pursuit.

1. Australia 3:42.067

2. Great Britain 3:44:394

3. Italy. 3.44.197

Medals - Women's Team Pursuit

1. USA 4:04.306

2. New Zealand 4.04.927.

3. Great Britain 4.06.382.