# Kouamé and Bayona miss out on day one of Paris keirin

*By Simon | August 7, 2024*

![Kouamé and Bayona miss out on day one of Paris keirin](https://globalkeirin.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/AW6_8943.jpg)

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![](https://globalkeirin.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/AW6_8943-jpg.webp)

## 󠀁[Kouamé and Bayona miss out on day one of Paris keirin](https://globalkeirin.com/2024/08/kouame-and-bayona-miss-out-on-day-one-of-paris-keirin/)󠁿

7 August 2024

World champion Martha Bayona and home favourite Taky Marie Divine Kouamé were
the big names not to make it to day two of the women’s keirin competition at the
Paris Olympics.

Riders needed a first or second place finish in either the opening round or the
repechages, to make it through to the quarter final stage.

Bayona was disappointing in her first round race, and simply couldn’t find her
way to the front in her repechage. Koumé was a distant third behind Finucane and
Friedrich at the first time of asking; then got trapped on the inside in a
chaotic final lap of her rep, with the timekeeper neglecting to ring the bell.

But overall, the results were predictable, with no real surprises. Things will
start relatively comfortably on day two, with a fourth place finish in the
[quarter finals](https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/results/cycling-track/women-s-keirin/qfnl--------)
enough to make the semis. An hour later, you’ll need to be top three to make the
final – and someone will be earning a gold medal 60 minutes later.

![Paris 2024 Olympic Games](https://globalkeirin.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/AW6_8113.jpg)

_Bring out the derny! Pic by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com_

### First round

**Heat 1: **New Zealand’s Ellesse Andrews started in second position, moving
safely ahead of the inexperienced Nigerian rider Ukpeseraye as the pacer left
the track. Gros came over the top of both riders with two to go, but Andrews
surged out of corner four to retake the lead. Great Britain’s Marchant followed,
looking for an overlap, but the line came just too soon.

**Heat 2: **Van de Wouw of the Netherlands started at the back of the line,
which was very stretched out as the pacer departed. China’s Yuan moved to the
front, taking Japan’s Ohta behind her, prompting a reaction from the Dutch rider
who led at the bell. Canada’s Genest moved up the track but couldn’t find the
speed to put her in a qualifying position. Van de Wouw won it, with Yuan second,
and a visible gap to third.

**Heat 3: **Emma Hinze also started from position six, but she took first place
ahead of China’s Guo as the derny left the track, and she simply wasn’t going to
give it up. Poland’s Karwacka was boxed on the inside, but she maintained her
pace, and was given the same time as Guo at the finish, but it’s the Chinese
rider who took the place in round two. Colombia’s Bayona was never better than
fourth.

**Heat 4: **Belgium’s Nicky Degrendele claimed the front at the first
opportunity, but she had fallen back to third at the bell, behind Petch and van
der Peet. They were four high at the end, with Degrendele coming over the top of
the leaders – and Japan’s Sato showing all her experience, appearing from
nowhere at the finish line for second by just 0.005s.

**Heat 5: **A predictable win for Great Britain’s Emma Finucane, the overall
favourite for the event, with Germany’s Friedrich a close second, and a big gap
to the rest. Finucane charged to the front with two laps to go, and only
Friedrich could get on terms with her.

![Paris 2024 Olympic Games](https://globalkeirin.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/AW6_8165.jpg)

_Bayona in blue battles at the back in r1. Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com_

### Repechages

**Heat 1:** With three big names drawn together, and only two places in the next
round, we were going to get a big name casualty in this one – and it was the
reigning world champion, Martha Bayona. Marchant upped the pace from the back
with two to go, prompting Mitchell to push to the front, and Bayona found
herself boxed. The Colombian found a way out but had to go high, and couldn’t
turn it into speed to the line.

**Heat 2:** Los attacked from fourth position, dragging Clonan behind her.
Gaxiola somehow squeezed between Cuadrado and Vece, slotting in behind the
Australian. But Los couldn’t hold the pace and dropped to the back. Vece pressed
hard into the home straight, but Clonan and Gaxiola held on to progress to
tomorrow.

**Heat 3:** Genest and Petch seemed safe bets to go through in this one, and so
it proved. The pair were at the back with a lap and half remaining, but they
were both well clear by the end.

**Heat 4:** Taky Marie Divine Kouamé was first to take her place at the start,
and she led into the final lap, but the Parisian was last to finish. Instead it
was Japan’s Ohta and Steffie van der Peet of the Netherlands who went through.

**Categories:** Original
**Tags:** paris2024