Romero races into Olympic history books
Romero races into Olympic history books
The 28-year-old Romero is the reigning world champion in the 3,000 metre race.

Beijing: Britain's Rebecca Romero is assured of writing a page in the Olympic history books after qualifying for the women's individual pursuit final on Saturday alongside compatriot Wendy Houvenaghel.

Romero, who won an Olympic rowing silver four years ago in the women's quadruple sculls, clocked a time of three minutes 27.7 seconds in her heat against Australian Katie Mactier, who failed to make the medal rounds.

New Zealand's Alison Shanks will meet Ukrainian Lesya Kalitovska in the bronze medal match.

The 28-year-old Romero is the reigning world champion in the 3,000 metre race against the clock and is now being tipped to land further gold for the pace-setting British track team.

It promises, however, to be a hotly-contested final on Sunday.

Houvenaghel posted the fastest time in qualifying Friday and almost matched Romero's performance in a time of 3:27.8.

Even if she wins silver, Romero will become just the second woman in Olympic history to win medals from two different sports at the summer Games.

Roswitha Krause, of the former East Germany, won a swimming silver at the 1968 Games in Mexico from the women's 4x100m relay.

She then won silver in the women's handball final at the 1976 Games in Montreal, and won handball bronze at Moscow in 1980.

Another athlete, American Tim Shaw, won a swimming silver medal in Montreal in 1976 and a water polo silver in Los Angeles eight years later.

American favourite Sarah Hammer failed to make the final after being upstaged in heat one by Shanks, who posted a time of 3:32.4.

The women's world record for the individual pursuit is still held by retired New Zealander Sarah Ulmer, who clocked 3:24.537 on her way to gold at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

What's your reaction?

Comments

https://hapka.info/assets/images/user-avatar-s.jpg

0 comment

Write the first comment for this!