Emma Finucane Claims Historic Sprint Bronze in Paris

Emma Finucane made British Olympic history by winning her third medal at the Paris Games, securing a bronze in the individual sprint. This achievement makes her the first British woman since Mary Rand in 1964 to win three medals at a single Games. The 21-year-old cyclist, competing in her first Olympics, added this bronze to her earlier bronze in the keirin and a historic team sprint gold. In the bronze medal final, Finucane comfortably defeated the Netherlands’ Hetty van de Wouw over two legs.

Reflecting on her success, Finucane expressed her joy, saying, “I feel on top of the world. To come away with three medals is more than I could have dreamed of.” Despite her disappointment at not reaching the gold final, she remains proud of her achievements. New Zealand’s Ellesse Andrews, who defeated Finucane in the semi-finals, went on to win the sprint gold, adding to her keirin title from earlier in the week. Meanwhile, Jack Carlin’s hopes of winning three medals in Paris were dashed after a crash in the keirin final, though he was able to walk off the track.

This Olympics marked a changing of the guard for British cycling with Finucane emerging as a new star. Despite not topping the podium in the men’s keirin for the first time since 2004, Great Britain still managed to secure eight medals in track cycling, one more than their Tokyo haul. British Cycling performance director Stephen Park praised the team’s efforts, highlighting that nine of their 15 first-time Olympians won medals.

Looking ahead, the performances of Britain’s young riders including Emma Finucane, offer great promise for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.