By Hannah Blackwell
Emma Finucane will return from the Netherlands with three medals gained at the European Track Cycling Championships to add to her world title.
The new Welsh cycling sensation capped off an impressive European Championships by picking up her third medal with silver in the women’s keirin.
Emma Finucane is the 𝑬𝒖𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒐𝒏 🇪🇺
She makes history becoming the first British woman to win the Elite Sprint European Title 🔥#eurotrack2024 | @BritishCycling pic.twitter.com/O4uC4y9s7C
— Eurosport (@eurosport) January 12, 2024
Germany’s Sophie Lea Friedrich took top spot followed by Finucane, who added to her individual sprint gold and team sprint silver, and the 21-year-old believes the event has provided “good momentum” for GB.
“Honestly the vibes in our pen have been unreal throughout the whole competition. Whether they were winning or losing, everyone’s cheering for each other and got each other’s back,” Finucane said.
“I feel like the momentum has really carried on throughout the week.
“This is a record-breaking Europeans and I can really feel that and it’s exciting because we’re in 2024 and the Olympics are approaching so I feel like this is really good momentum for GB.
“We’ll just carry on throughout the year and see what happens, but it’s been really special that I can play a part in that.”
World 🥇
European 🥇
Olympic 👀Emma Finucane is heading to @Paris2024 as World and European champion!
She becomes GB’s first EVER women’s sprint European champion 👏
📸 SWPix | #EuroTrack24 | @BritishCycling pic.twitter.com/a67TBEDoft
— Team GB (@TeamGB) January 12, 2024
Finucane’s GB teammate Josie Knight claimed her first international individual title after winning pursuit gold.
The 26-year-old secured the top prize in a nail-biting finish against Franziska Brausse, pipping the German by three-thousandths of a second having trailed by over a second with five laps to go.
Her gold was one of six won by Britain as they secured 14 medals overall in the competition – their highest tally at a European Championships – to top the medal table.
Knight added the individual gold to the team pursuit silver she won on Thursday and reflected on a “special” win.
Great Britain’s Josie Knight claimed her first international individual title after winning pursuit gold at the European Track Cycling Championships in the Netherlands today pic.twitter.com/wEGxLWc5Of
— PA Sport (@pasport) January 14, 2024
She said: “I’m over the moon to be honest, it’s my first gold medal of the championships but it’s also my first international championship title as an individual and that’s really special because I’ve always been part of the team pursuit.
“Although you’re part of the team and it’s fantastic, it’s really special to win on my own for once.
GB teammate Anna Morris joined Knight on the podium after earning bronze in the individual pursuit.
In the men’s keirin, Hamish Turnbull narrowly missed out on a podium spot with a fourth-placed finish, team-mate Jack Carlin coming home seventh, while Will Perrett finished fifth in the men’s points race.
Great Britain were forced to withdraw from the women’s Madison after 12 laps when Elinor Barker was involved in a crash and subsequently advised not to continue in the race.
Great Britain dominates at European Track Cycling Championships https://t.co/cWJHocOQFO #EuropeanTrackCyclingChampionships #GreatBritain #cyclingmedals
— Kai Lainey (@KLainey_Noah) January 14, 2024