Two Australians, and one each from Great Britain, the Netherlands, Japan and Malaysia will contest the medal race in 2024’s Olympic men’s keirin. Dutch favourite Harrie Lavreysen powered through the quarters and semis as expected, but he won’t have it his own way, with Richardson, Carlin and Nakano all looking strong. Malaysian fans can thank the commissaires for giving Sahrom a place in the final, but it’s unlikely to make up for disqualifying their hero Awang yesterday.
Quarter finals
With four of six to go through, you’d expect the bigger names to be safe, right? Wrong. Early exits for fast men Yakovlev and Paul, kilo record holder Hoogland, and reigning world champion Quintero.
Heat 1
Through: Carlin 🇬🇧, Glaetzer 🇦🇺, Sahrom 🇲🇾, Ota 🇯🇵
Out: Yakovlev 🇮🇱, Hedgcock 🇨🇦
Sahrom and Hedgcock at the back as the bell rings, giving us the front four we’d expect. But Sahrom comes up the inside, then claims Glaetzer’s wheel as first Carlin then Yakovlev drift upwards – and the Israeli rider is out of it.
Heat 2
Through: Lavreysen 🇳🇱, Turnbull 🇬🇧, Ortega 🇨🇴, Nakano 🇯🇵
Out: Paul 🇹🇹, Wammes 🇨🇦
Wammes takes the front with three to go, but is going backwards by the bell. Paul is stuck at the back; he tries once, then again to move ahead but the pace is just too high. Ortega pushes him up the track to claim fourth, and that’s Paul’s Olympics over.
Heat 3:
Through: Richardson 🇦🇺, Dakin 🇳🇿, Rudyk 🇵🇱, Spiegel 🇩🇪
Out: Hoogland 🇳🇱, Quintero 🇨🇴
Strung out as the pacer exits. Hoogland, Quintero and Rudyk find themselves a long way back as Dakin takes it up. Rudyk stays low, hoping the inside will open up – and it does, allowing him to snatch third ahead of Spiegel. Hoogland and Quintero went high, and miss out.
Semi finals
First three go through to the medal race, second three have a 7-12th minor final.
Heat 1:
Through: Carlin 🇬🇧, Glaetzer 🇦🇺, Nakano 🇯🇵
Out: Ortega 🇨🇴, Dakin 🇳🇿, Rudyk 🇵🇱
Again, Dakin takes it up early. Carlin and Rudyk are shoulder to shoulder behind him, with Glaetzer looking vulnerable, and Nakano at the back. The Australian goes up and over, taking the Japanese rider with him. Dakin is trapped on the inside and eases off. Ortega passes him at the line. Rudyk had sat up 100 metres earlier.
Heat 2:
Through: Richardson 🇦🇺, Lavreysen 🇳🇱, Sahrom 🇲🇾
Out: Ota 🇯🇵 (DSQ), Turnbull 🇬🇧 (DNF), Spiegel 🇩🇪 (DNF)
Lavreysen takes the lead with a lap and a half to go. Richardson moves from fifth to second as the bell rings, with Ota following. The Japanese rider looks to cut down in front of Sahrom. Spiegel is brought down on the inside; Turnbull goes high to avoid, but can’t stay upright himself. The judges relegate Ota, giving fourth-placed Sahrom a place in the final. The Japanese rider is excluded from the 7-12th minor final.
