Teenage star Finucane continues dream run with second Games medal

EMMA Finucane continued her dream Commonwealth Games by claiming a bronze medal in the women’s individual sprint.

The West Wales star beat Great Britain ace Sophie Capewell in a best-of-three straight-up sprint to take her second medal at London’s velodrome.

The 19-year-old added to the team sprint bronze she won with Rhian Edmunds and Lowri Thomas on the opening night of racing.

Finucane claimed her second medal of Birmingham 2022 in thrilling fashion in the deciding best-of-three race. She lost the opening race, but came storming back to win the next two to earn a place on the podium.

Finucane, a former pupil at Llanelli’s St John Lloyd School, has long been considered one of the brightest talents in British cycling and three years ago was among the medals at the World Junior Track

Championships in Frankfurt.

She said: “This means so much. I wasn’t expecting it. I left everything on the track, and it paid off.”

Finucane laid down a superb qualifying effort of 10.804 to advance fourth-fastest and gain a favourable seeding for the rounds to come.

She beat Scot Lusia Steele in the eighth finals and then got past Australia’s Kristina Clonan in the deciding run-off.

Finucane then came up against the irresistible force of Canada’s Olympic champion Kelsey Mitchell, who proved too much.

In the battle for bronze Capewell drew first blood, but a change of tactics from Finucane moved the deal and saw her reach the podium again.

The Welsh team sprint stable have now collected a series of significant wins over English rivals who are currently favoured for selection for the Great Britain team.

“A lot of us live together in Manchester and there’s always a little battle going on,” she said.

“It’s obviously nice to beat them and whenever we race it’s always really competitive.

“I just had to compose myself, nail my processes and I got the bronze medal.

“I couldn’t believe it, I was so happy and proud of myself for how I did.”