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Great Britain’s Jason Kenny claimed his fifth Olympic gold after beating teammate Callum Skinner in the individual sprint final.
Two races were all that was needed for the best of three contest with the more experienced Kenny dominating and winning easily. It was 23-year-old Skinner who led off from the front in the first race. Kenny then turned on the power and acceleration with a lap to go, allowing his to go over the top of his teammate to finish first.
The second race was a mirror image of the first, the only difference that the riders had exchanged starting positions. As in the first the race was a tense and slow affair until the final lap but that is where the comparisons stop. Skinner did not have the pace or power to get past Kenny, consequently the world champion managed to get it done from the lead.
Kenny told BBC Sport: “It is special, really special. I’m really grateful. Everyone works so hard for us. When we win it feels like the team is winning and we have everyone behind us, pushing us.”
The pair teamed up with Philip Hindes to win gold in the team sprint on Friday. Along with Hindes, Kenny and Skinner beat world champions New Zealand in an Olympic record time of 42.440 seconds. The trio won the event in style to retain their Olympic title they won at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Callum Skinner now has one gold and one silver from his debut games contributing to Britain’s track cycling medal tally.
Skinner said: “The whole journey has been incredible. I got beaten by the world champion and he had the tactics and the legs. The main focus has been the team sprint, so to come away with anything else was a bonus.”
Russia’s Denis Dmitriez took Bronze beating Australia’s Matthew Glaetzer in the third placed race.
