Team GB win 1000th Olympics medal in men’s team pursuit but Brits cruelly denied gold by late disaster
TEAM GB grabbed their 1,000th Olympics medal all-time by earning silver in the men’s team pursuit this afternoon.
But the landmark medal could have been gold, but for a late disaster.
The Brits took on Australia in the men’s team pursuit final, with gold on the line for the winner.
Ethan Vernon, Ethan Hayter, Dan Bigham and Charlie Tanfield were selected for Team GB, with Oliver Wood the unfortunate man to miss out.
In Australia, Team GB faced a formidable opponent fresh off setting a new world record during the semi-finals.
But for most of the 4000m final, the Brits found themselves neck and neck with their opponents… until disaster struck.
Hayter, who had been leading the GB train, slipped out of the front of his saddle with under 200m to go.
He managed to avoid falling, but his slip saw GB’s chances left in tatters.
Australia went on to achieve gold with a time of 3:42:067, with GB posting crossing the line on 3:44:394.
Team GB had gone into the final hoping to earn their 13th gold medal of this summer’s Games.
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But in the end, they had to be content with their landmark thousandth Olympic medal being a silver.
After the final, Hayter told the BBC: “We were so close and I could see it.
“It was nearly five laps at the end and I just really gave too much, and my whole body went weak and I really struggled to hold myself on the bike in the end.
“Sorry to the guys but I think we gave everything and we can be proud of that silver medal.
“We were super happy to win a silver medal but it was really there for the taking for us and we kind of knew that.
“We went out to get it but just came short in the end, so it’s a shame.”
Team GB swiftly added medal 1,001 – earning a bronze in the women’s team pursuit by beating Italy.