Ellesse Andrews looked to add to her medal total in the women’s sprint after winning the keirin and silver in the team sprint. She faced Germany’s Lea Sophie Friedrich, who had won bronze as part of the team sprint. Andrews swept Friedrich, needing just two races, to claim gold in the women’s sprint.
Andrews didn't know what to believe after the race. “I feel like I'm living in a dream. I don't really know what to say. It's been a massive week, and I'm just so proud of how I've managed to carry myself to the end of the competition."
In the first race, Andrews held her lead out front despite a good challenge by Friedrich. In the second race, Andrews came over the top and left Friedrich in the dust. She left no doubt as she dominated the event and won with a time of 10.685, six tenths ahead of the German.
The duo faced off three times in Paris, with Andrews winning all three. Friedrich does go home with the fastest time of the Games. She set the world record in her qualifying lap on Thursday at 10.029.
After an up-and-down Games, Friedrich reflected on her silver medal. “It’s unbelievable for me, I can't describe this feeling now. I'm so proud of myself, and it's so nice to see my mother and my father over there. She's my biggest support.
"It's my first (Olympic) medal in an individual event, I'm so proud of myself... I’m so happy to go home with one silver medal and one bronze medal.”
Andrews became the first New Zealander to win three cycling medals in a single Olympics. She also became the most decorated cyclist in New Zealand Olympic history with 4 total medals (she won silver in the keirin in Tokyo). Her gold medal is also New Zealand’s first medal in this event.
“I'm just telling myself, 'It’s just one more race and leave it out on the track'. I wanted to finish that race knowing I had absolutely emptied the tank, which I did," Andrews said of her race.
Her wins in Paris are particularly impressive because she broke her collarbone in April at the Track Nations Cup.
In the bronze medal matchup, Great Britain’s Emma Finucane also swept Netherland’s Hetty van de Wouw in two races to win the bronze.
Finucane ended her Olympic debut on a high. She became the first British woman to win three cycling medals in the same Olympics, adding to her gold in team sprint and bronze in the keirin.
Afterwards Finucane reflected, "It's been sensational. This whole week has been such a rollercoaster of emotions. I have been to highs, I have been to lows. To finish with that bronze medal, I could not have asked for anything more."
"I left everything on that track. I have had a whole week of racing. I'm really proud of how I managed the expectations and the pressure."