Hinze considers her future after Paris disappointment

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German sprint star Emma Hinze says she will be looking at things year by year, and isn’t yet committed to another Olympic cycle, after missing out once again on gold at the Paris games.

Hinze now heads off on holiday on a high, having set a new flying 500 world record at the German track nationals in Berlin. Her time of 27.063 seconds took almost two seconds off the mark set by Kristina Vogel in 2016.

She will not be competing at the upcoming world championships, and says only that she would not rule out Los Angeles 2028.

‘But four years is a long time,’ she told DPA. ‘I think I’m looking from year to year now.’

The multiple world champion came back from Paris with a bronze in team sprint, but only fifth in keirin, and sixth in the individual sprint.

‘It is difficult to accept the result,’ she said. ‘It was the second time that other nations were better than us.

‘My head needs to do something different for the next few weeks.’

Global Keirin wrote previously about the post-Olympic period, likely to see many riders in a similarly reflective mood. If DerbyWheel’s test event is around the corner, this could be a good moment to offer an alternative future for anyone hesitant about another Olympic cycle.

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