Great Britain won the men’s track cycling team sprint at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Callum Skinner crossed the line at 42.44 seconds to set a new Olympic record in the event and edge out New Zealand, who entered the race as the favorite as the defending world champions. New Zealand’s silver medal was its first ever medal in the event.
Rio 2016 results: Great Britain wins Olympic men’s track cycling team sprint
Great Britain won its third consecutive Olympic gold medal in the men’s team sprint at Rio’s velodrome Thursday.
Andrew P. Scott-USA TODAY Sports
From the start, Great Britain was able to keep its three riders -- Skinner, Philip Hindes and Jason Kenny -- on each other’s wheels. The New Zealand riders had to expend energy to get back on the wheel of their lead man, which potentially accounts for the 0.1-second difference in time.
France won the bronze medal, just edging out Australia by 0.15 seconds. The bronze was the 66th track cycling medal ever won by France at the Olympics, which is more than any other nation.
Great Britain has now won three consecutive gold medals in the event, and four total with a silver medal in 2000. France has yet to fail to medal in the event, taking gold in 2000, bronze in 2004, and silver in 2008 and 2012.
Men’s track cycling team sprint results
Gold -- Great Britain, 42.44 seconds (Olympic record)
Silver -- New Zealand, 42.54 seconds
Bronze -- France, 43.14 seconds
Fourth place -- Australia, 43.29 seconds
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