2024-08-07 23:05:46
Already in the cycling track sprint selection, the world and Olympic record fell twice.
“The participants are in the best shape. It is not easy to fight. Very strong rivals”, said 29-year-old Vasilijus Lendelis, who flew all the way to the consolation race of the round of 16, about the scene in the velodrome.
Australia’s Matthew Richardson first broke the record in 9.091s on Wednesday, and soon the arena erupted with applause for the second time when Tokyo gold winner and absolute favorite Harrrie Lavreysen of the Netherlands broke the record by 0.003s.
At that time, V. Lendel had already passed the selection. He ran the 200m in 9.581 seconds, bettering his personal best and qualifying for the first round. V. Lendel was 19th among 30 athletes. 24 cyclists made it to the next stage. After his debut, his wife Miglė Lendel, who was watching her husband as a member of the national team, said that she found that Vasilijus was a little disappointed with the result.
However, the athlete himself described the first sprint in a simple way: “It’s a pretty bad result. I am satisfied.”
This position resulted in a particularly disadvantageous opponent – from the first round, the competition takes place in a knock-out manner. V. Lendel first had to compete with the star of the Dutch cycling track, Jeffrey Hoogland. The 31-year-old Dutchman won gold in the team sprint with the Netherlands on August 6, a feat they also did at the Tokyo Games, where he won silver in the individual race. Mr. Hoogland collected silver medals at the World Championships from 2020 to 2022.
So there was no big fight here.
J. Hoogland covered the last 200 m in 9.933 seconds, and V. Lendel was 0.122 seconds behind.
“I did my best today. I got a difficult opponent – the Olympic champion, but I did my best. The tactical plan was to attack in a position where he was least looking at me. They managed to catch me and stopped me”, explained V. Lendel.
After losing the first stage, V. Lendel entered the so-called consolation race. Here, he already had to fight with two opponents at the same time, but V. Lendel shot ahead in the last lap and proved his superiority over Malaysian representative Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom and New Zealand athlete Sam Dakina. V.Lendelis covered the last 200 m in 9.824 seconds. The Malaysian was 0.043 seconds behind, the New Zealander 0.794 seconds behind.
“Great. I made it to the top 16. I am very satisfied with the result and the run, which was error-free. I did everything I had to. The tactics worked, said V. Lendel while still catching his breath. – A slightly different approach. We didn’t go one-on-one, but three. It is more difficult when there are two opponents. You don’t know who will or won’t attack.”
In the round of 16, V.Lendelis met another leader – the Australian M.Richardson, who had already improved the world record at the Olympics, and won the team sprint bronze in Paris. The latter won the race confidently – he covered the last 200 m in 9.477 seconds.
V. Lendel was 0.862 seconds behind him. and fell in the round of 16 consolation round.
“The Australian is much faster than me. I did everything I could, but… He set the 200 m record today and was significantly better,” said V. Lendel, trying to catch his breath.
In the round of 16, V. Lendel met with British Hamish Turnbull, who won silver in the team sprint match on August 7.
This time, H.Turbull was unable to beat his opponent, he covered the last 200 m in 10.067 seconds. V. Lendel was 0.044 seconds behind him. and was very close to victory, but the British went to the next round.
“Not much was missing. Is as. I’m not too upset – I’m very happy with the result. And the tactics are what I wanted – I wanted everything, but the opponent was faster”, said V. Lendel.
The athlete was open – the debut was successful. Before the Olympic Games, he already said that he did not have a specific goal – the most important thing was to get to the Games.
“A very high achievement, as for the first time at the Olympic Games. I rate it very well,” he smiled.
After the finish, V. Lendel was congratulated by his wife M. Lendel, who is in the technical staff of the national cycling team, and the fans shouted the name of Lithuania in the velodrome.
“My wife, relatives and friends support me. It’s a lot of fun when they support you, encourage you to move forward, to do your best,” said the athlete.
A couple of years ago, V.Lendel and M.Lendel decided to change their coach. M.Lendel said a little earlier that there were a lot of difficulties because of this, but later the door to training in Switzerland opened.
“I have been training in Switzerland for the last year with Scotsman Craig MacLean. The level and training plans are already different here. There is a high level, you are equipped with everything”, said V. Lendelis.
V. Lendelis will participate in the keirin competition on August 10.
When asked where he feels stronger – sprint or keirin, he thought for a moment: “It’s hard to say – I ride both sprint and keirin similarly”
Cyclist Olivia Baleišyte will participate in the omnium races on August 11.
2024-08-07 23:05:46