'Absolutely terrifying': Viewers in shock after velodrome 'carnage'
The final day of the Olympics at the velodrome witnessed some ugly scenes as nine riders and an offical went down in a chaotic pileup at the end of a race.
A trackside official was stretchered off Izu Velodrome after he was knocked over by one of the riders in the pileup, which involved two different crashes in the space of a few seconds.
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Bikes went flying as riders protected themselves as a group fell with two laps to go in the scratch race.
As riders went around, another group fell and caused further chaos.
Images captured bikes flying in the air as British cyclist Laura Kenny - who won gold in the Madison event - walked off with a cut to her face.
Viewers were left stunned after the carnage in the velodrome on the final day of the Olympics.
At the Izu Velodrome on the final day of the #Olympics, where Laura Kenny had just been involved in a huge crash that wiped out half the field in the opening race of the women's omnium.
— Malik Ouzia (@MalikOuzia_) August 8, 2021
CYCLING: An insane crash to start the women's omnium competition. That crash un velodrome 🤯 #Tokyo2020 #Olympics #CyclingTrack pic.twitter.com/8IrUi6VTZo
— Coco (@coco_coco_om) August 8, 2021
Crash so bad here in the Women's Omnium they're having to repair the velodrome surface. #Tokyo2020 #Cycling
— Chris Hockman (@ChrisHSport) August 8, 2021
#Olympics
Wild crash in the velodrome.— Snake (@JSCTowerLife) August 8, 2021
Just watching Women’s cycling from the Velodrome. It’s like watching NASCAR for the crashes. #Olympics #Tokyo2020
— slavo cech (@slav_metalurges) August 8, 2021
Carnage in the Omnium on the velodrome, hate to see it #CyclingTrack
— Tony Tannous (@TonyTannousTRBA) August 8, 2021
Was that Olympic cycling or NASCAR?
Yikes, that was a terrible crash.— Sports Masochist (@Shifter2112) August 8, 2021
OMG! Two crashes occurred. Hope there are no severe injuries. Women's #cycling. #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/SkzgEZykaj
— bizclouder (@bizclouder) August 8, 2021
This cycling event is pure chaos.
— Ed Tubb (@EdTubb) August 8, 2021
track cycling looks absolutely terrifying
— wenée (@hatefulwench) August 8, 2021
British cyclist Jason Kenny wins gold
Australian Annette Edmondson was well-placed initially in the omnium, but the pileup took out Kenny.
But after Edmondson finished third in the opening scratch race, she lost a lap in the tempo event.
Edmondson then had a disastrous elimination race when she was the second rider to be caught at the rear of the field.
Male British cyclist Jason Kenny won a record seventh Olympic track cycling gold medal with an astonishing ride in the men's keirin final.
The four-time Olympian achieved the feat two days after his wife Laura became the first woman to win five gold medals in the sport.
As the derny pulled off with three laps left in Sunday's final at Izu Velodrome, Kenny was the lead rider and Australian Matthew Glaetzer was second in the six-rider paceline.
But as Glaetzer kept watch for attacks behind him and no-one came through, the gap to Kenny grew too large and the British ace pounced.
He launched a blistering long-range attack and finished well clear, with Australian-coached Malaysian Aziz Awang outsprinting Dutch rider Harrie Lavreysen for silver.
Glaetzer finished fifth and remains without a medal after three Olympics.
It was a gutsy effort from Glaetzer, who pulled out of the sprint because he was unwell, following Australia's fourth in the team sprint.
Glaetzer said the team sprint "completely broke me".
He was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in late 2019 and missed the world championships early in 2020 because of a calf muscle injury.
with AAP
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