Jason Kenny wins sprint gold at World Championships
By Matt Westby
Last Updated: 06/03/16 12:11pm
Jason Kenny rediscovered his best form to win gold in the men's sprint at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in London on Saturday.
The 27-year-old Briton defeated Australia's Matthew Glaetzer 2-1 in the final to claim the third world title of his career and first since 2013.
Having struggled to compete with his rivals in recent years, Kenny this time left them all trailing with some of his best performances since winning two golds at the London 2012 Olympics.
He said: "To win the sprint is special. It's the blue-riband event, plus it's a long day. It's a bit emotional.
"Twelve months ago I remember sitting in the stands, watching the semi-final and the final and it just seemed like a world away. I had been first-round fodder and we had all gone home early.
"Now, for me to be in the final and for Callum [Skinner] to make the fifth to eighth final, we've turned it around."
Having booked his place in the quarter-finals with a series of impressive rides on Friday, Kenny outclassed New Zealand's Sam Webster 2-0 in the last eight and then made similarly light work of Poland's Damian Zielinksi with another 2-0 triumph in the semi-finals.
He lost his first heat against Glaetzer in the gold-medal round but then dominated the Australian in the next two heats to seal victory.
Kenny believes he rode as well as ever in the past two days but insists he will have to improve again in Rio.
"I think I'm there or thereabouts - the best I've ever been," he added.
"The key thing is now between now and the Games - doesn't matter whether we've won here or lost - it's about making the most of every day. To win in Rio we know we'll have to go better again."
