Victoria Pendleton lands Olympic gold

Stotfold cyclist Victoria Pendleton raced to a gold medal in the Olympics on Friday night.

She burst through the field of the Women’s Kierin and held on to cross the line first in front of thousands of screaming fans in the Olympic Velodrome and millions watching on BBC.

Victoria beat China’s Gue Shaung into second by 0.024 seconds with Hong Kong’s Lee in third. Pendleton’s rival Anna Meares missed out on a medal.

The former St Mary’s Lower, Stotfold and Etonbury Middle, Arlesey student held back before surging through the field with two laps to go.

She had earlier cruised through the first round and then beat Sanchez and Shaung into second and third respectively in the second round to qualify for the final.

She told BBC sport after the race: “I can’t really believe it. After the earlier teams ... I was just focussed.

“Thank you so much to everyone who has helped me to get here, and the crowd has been fantastic.”

It will make up for the disappointment of being disqualified from the Women’s Team Sprint on Thursday.

She has another chance of a medal in the individual sprint on Monday.

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