The bronze adds to the silver that Jack Carlin, who is making his Olympic debut at these Games, took in the team event alongside Jason Kenny and Ryan Owens
Friday 6 August 2021 16:33, UK
Jack Carlin has secured a bronze medal for Team GB in the men's cycling sprint event, just minutes after Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald won gold in the velodrome.
Carlin beat Denis Dmitriev of the Russian Olympic Committee 2-0 to ensure the bronze medal belonged to him.
The 24-year-old Scot took the inside line to beat Dmitriev in the opening race, and then held off a powerful finish from the 35-year-old former world champion.
Bronze adds to the silver that Carlin, who is making his Olympic debut at these Games, took in the team event alongside Jason Kenny and Ryan Owens.
Given the dominance of the Dutch duo Jeffrey Hoogland and Harrie Lavreysen, bronze was a fine return for Carlin, who qualified third fastest and looked the man to beat for the final available medal.
Dmitriev took bronze in Rio five years ago, and beat Kenny in the earlier rounds on Thursday, but the veteran's legs did not quite have the power as Carlin attacked from the bell and hung on.
He could still add another medal to his collection, with both he and Kenny taking part in the keirin, which begins on Saturday.
"It was a tough day today, I didn't have the same in the legs as I did yesterday but I gave it my all and managed to come away with something," said Carlin.
"I got 20th at the Worlds last year and I said to myself that I'd never be in that place again. We focused a lot on the individual event in this extra year and it paid off."
Ahead of the keirin, and the chance to win gold, silver and bronze at Tokyo 2020, Carlin said: "What was it that Jonny Brownlee said? 'Completed it mate'. We'll see...'"
