The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Archibald left disappointed by home haul
As her own harshest critic on the track, one European gold and one silver is just not enough for Katie Archibald.
Arriving in Glasgow with 10 continental titles to her name, winning has become rather commonplace to a rider with a trophy cabinet the envy of Europe.
But, as the Scot rounded off the week with a fourthplace Madison finish with Laura Kenny, there was perhaps more than a tinge of disappointment at her final Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome outing.
As the poster-girl of Glasgow, Archibald was favourite for three titles – starting off her week perfectly with team pursuit gold alongside Kenny, Elinor Barker and fellow Scot Neah Evans.
But from there things did not entirely go her way – forced to settle for silver behind Kirsten Wild in the omnium while the Madison world champion could not work her magic one last time, as she and Kenny lost out to Denmark.
“I’m disappointed, but there are so many things that we could have done better that it gives us hope for the future,” she said.
“Laura and I get nervous for these things but it is because we expect a lot of ourselves. Going forward we are arrogant enough to think we can train to get to that top level.
“It’s clearly not worked on the last day and this week – even in the successes that we’ve had – there has been quite a gap to that top level.
“I’m quite keen to reset now. This is the start of the Olympic qualification process, the start of the endurance squad going as a unit and I’m quite keen to be back in Manchester and far more focused on what I’m aiming for and that’s Tokyo.
“We put a lot of pressure on ourselves but I think you see that from every rider.
“You see some people gracious in winning or losing when racing but ultimately what you do on the track is the most important thing.”
There was some success on the final afternoon of the track cycling in Glasgow, however, with Matthew Walls stunning the field to claim gold in the men’s elimination race, before Jack Carlin took bronze in the men’s keirin.
The 20-year-old Walls was happy to lead from the front throughout the race and did not let up in his pace, eventually storming home for a comfortable victory over Portugal’s Rui Olivieira.
“It’s at the top,” the Oldham-born rider admitted. “It’s my first major championships and to get the win is just mega, I’m really happy with it.”