Emma Finucane Bounces Back to Win Keirin Silver at Track Cycling Worlds

Great Britain’s Emma Finucane showed true champion spirit at the Track Cycling World Championships in Chile, storming back from sprint disappointment to win silver in the women’s keirin.

Just a day earlier, the 22-year-old – a two-time defending sprint champion – suffered a shock exit in the quarter-finals after a costly tactical mistake. But she turned frustration into fuel, powering to second place behind Japan’s Mina Sato, with an inspired performance that reflected both grit and growth.

“I’m really proud,” said Finucane. “After the sprint, I was gutted. But bouncing back and doing four rides I never thought I could do six months ago — I’ve grown so much. The highs only feel sweet when you’ve had the sour.”

The keirin remains the only sprint discipline where Finucane, a three-time Olympic medallist, has yet to strike gold. Still, her silver capped a strong week for Team GB and underscored her steady climb toward Paris 2028.

It’s been just a year since Finucane made history at the 2024 Olympics, becoming the first British woman since 1964 to win three cycling medals at a single Games. Now, she’s starting the next Olympic cycle with renewed focus — and proof that resilience can be as defining as victory.

Finucane’s silver was one of four medals for Britain on the final day in Santiago.

Earlier, Anna Morris claimed her third medal of the Championships, sprinting superbly to snatch silver in the women’s points race — adding to her individual pursuit gold and team pursuit bronze. “I thought I was top five,” Morris said. “When my coach told me I was second, I couldn’t believe it.”

In the men’s sprint final, Matt Richardson, who switched from Australia to represent Great Britain last year, also bagged silver — narrowly losing to Dutch star Harrie Lavreysen, who secured a record seventh consecutive world title.

The men’s madison duo Mark Stewart and Josh Tarling rounded off the haul with another silver behind Belgium’s Lindsay de Vylder and Fabio van den Bossche.

Team GB ended the Championships with 14 medals — four gold, eight silver, and two bronze — finishing second overall behind the Netherlands.