Double disaster for SA cycling star
ASHLEIGH Moolman-Pasio came to the Rio Olympics to try for a cycling medal, but left in tears yesterday after ending 12th in the women’s 29.7km individual time trial.
“I can’t help but feel a little bit emotional,” the rider said, sporting grazes on her left arm and legs after sliding on oil about 10km into the event.
At that stage she was lying third, but afterwards she slipped down the field.
She clocked 46min 29.11sec, more than two minutes slower than winner Kristin Armstrong, of the US, in 44:26.42.
Russian Olga Zabelinskaya was second (44.31.97) and Dutch road race champion Anna van der Breggen third (44:37.80).
Moolman-Pasio, who was 10th in the road race on Sunday, said: “Everything that could have gone wrong has gone wrong.
“We put so much into it and you really hope that everything comes together.
“Unfortunately that’s not been the case for me in both the road race and the time trial.
“In the road race, I had mechanical problems with my brakes, which I only realised after the race, and today I thought I was having a really good time trial and slid out on the first really technical descent.
“I was doing my best to do a conservative but fast descent. It didn’t work out. It threw me off.
“I did my best to put my head down and keep going.”
A strong wind and light rain hit Rio yesterday, forcing organisers to cancel the rowing programme, which included semifinals for four South African crews.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s sevens dream took a hard knock yesterday as they were downed 12-5 by Australia in their final pool game at the Olympic sevens tournament.
The Blitzboks still finished top of their pool with seven points.
France finished second after dispatching Spain 26-5 and Australia, with the win, finished third and qualified for the quarters as well, facing South Africa again.