Men's Point Race Finals
Backgrounds Prove Medalists Worthy
Silvio MARTINELLO (ITA), the 1995 world champion in the points race, proved his right to the title by capturing the gold medal in the Olympic men's point race finals at the Stone Mountain Velodrome Sunday. Far ahead of the field, his 37 points were a significant improvement over his previous Olympic results from Los Angeles, where he placed 16th.
Silver medalist Brian WALTON (CAN) only recently took up track cycling. He's currently on a roll with gold medals in the road and points race, plus a bronze in the pursuit from the 1995 Pan Am Games, and now an Olympic silver medal. WALTON says that watching countryman Steve BAUER win a silver in the individual road race in Los Angeles gave him the inspiration he needed to dedicate himself to cycling.
Only two points behind WALTON was Australian Stuart O'GRADY. O'GRADY picked up his second bronze medal -- the first was with the Australian pursuit team -- after he made his move in the double-points final lap, in which he placed third.
Medalists: Silvio MARTINELLO (ITA), 37; Brian WALTON (CAN), 29; Stuart O'GRADY (AUS), 27.
"The last couple of years, I've been close in the points race. This time I just wanted to get on the podium," said O'GRADY. "It was a touch-and-go situation out there in the last couple of laps. I didn't want to lead the other ones out with two laps to go, and then I couldn't catch Brian (WALTON). I just had to take my chances on the last lap, and it worked out."
Favored FIELDER Defends Title
Jens FIELDER has been one in a long line of successful German sprinters. As the 1994 and 1995 world champion in the event, FIELDER was the one to beat, although the home crowd was putting their money on the boy from Trexlertown, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., Marty NOTHSTEIN.
While NOTHSTEIN will not return with a gold medal, he did not disappoint. His silver will contribute to his country's work at establishing itself as a force to reckon with in international competition. He is the only American to have won both the sprint and keirin, a non-Olympic sprint event started in Japan, at the same world championships in 1994. His results in 1995 were below expectations (6th) due to a fractured patella that occurred just three weeks before competition.
Curtis HARNETT (CAN) added a bronze to his country's list of medals (14) at this Olympic Games, the third in cycling competition. Gary NEIWAND (AUS) succumbed to HARNETT. Both races were finished in the first two rides in the best out of three competition.
Medalists: Jens FIELDER (GER), Marty NOTHSTEIN (USA), Curtis HARNETT (CAN).
Said NOTHSTEIN before he faced FIELDER: "He's the world champion and one of the fastest guys in the world.... But this is my home turf and I'm going to give him one hell of a fight."
BELLUTTI Record Setter Day After Day, Makes Italy Proud
While still falling .448 short of her world-record time, Antonella BELLUTTI broke the Olympic record in the women's individual pursuit for the second day in a row, and Sunday topped off her performance with a gold medal. The previous record of 3:41.509 was set in 1992 by Petra ROSSNER of Germany. Yesterday, BELLUTTI rode a 3:32.371 in her quarterfinal ride against Australian favorite Kathy WATT. The time bested the previous record by 9.138.
Gold-medal rival Marion CLIGNET of France just couldn't keep up with the wunderkind. The three fastest riders in the semifinals were guaranteed medals, with the top two facing off for top honors. CLIGNET raced Judith ARNDT of Germany and BELLUTTI raced Yvonne MCGREGOR of Great Britain in semifinal competition. Bronze medalist ARNDT out-rode fourth-place finisher MCGREGOR, with 3:38.744 to MCGREGOR's 3:40.885 in her race against BELLUTTI.
Medalists: Antonella BELLUTTI (ITA), 3:33.595; Marion CLIGNET (FRA), 3:38.571; Judith ARNDT (GER), 3:38.744.
Spills Continue to Plague Women's Cycling Events
After a 2 hour and 40 minute rain delay, 21 women from 21 countries embarked on this tactical battle for Olympic medals for the first time in cycling history. A false start was declared after Jeanne GOLAY (USA) and KIM Yong-Mi (KOR) were down seconds into the race. Minutes later, KIM was again among the fallen; four more riders were forced to withdraw after losing hold on the banks: WANG Yan (CHN), May HARTWELL (NOR), Izaskun BENGOA (ESP) and Rita RAZMAITE (LTU).
Russian favorite Svetlana SAMAKHVALOVA let the medals slip out of her grasp, coming in fourth with 14 points in the 96-lap race. The three that triumphed Sunday were gold medalist Nathalie LANCIEN of France with 24 points, closely followed by Ingrid HARINGA of the Netherlands with 23, and TYLER SHARMAN, who surprised the aforementioned leaders by ousting SAMAKHVALOVA, 17 points to 14.
Medalists: Nathalie LANCIEN (FRA), 24; Ingrid HARINGA (NED), 23; Lucy TYLER SHARMAN (AUS), 17.
Before tackling the points race, bronze medalist Lucy TYLER SHARMAN was devastated by her loss in the women's individual pursuit. "I don't know if I can pull myself together....I'm just so shocked, my world is shattered.... I'm not sure if I'm a bike racer anymore." Clearly, she proved that she is.
This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department.
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