Double cycling silver for New Zealand

7:06 am on 6 August 2021

New Zealand cyclist Ellesse Andrews has won silver in the women's keirin at the Tokyo Olympics.

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - 05/08/2021 - Cycling Track - Izu Velodrome, Izu, Japan - Ellesse Andrews of New Zealand with her medal after coming second in the women's Keirin final (Silver)

Photo: SWPix

The 21-year-old Christchurch rider is the first New Zealand woman to win an Olympic track cycling medal since Sarah Ulmer won gold in the individual pursuit at the 2004 Athens Games.

Andrews told Sky Sport she couldn't believe what she'd done.

"I can't stop crying," she sobbed soon after.

Andrew said she'd found the perfect balance in a challenging race.

"In the keirin you just have to get the absolute right balance of physical effort and tactical execution.

"And so to get that right today, and to get a silver medal is amazing. I'm so proud of myself."

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - 05/08/2021 - Cycling Track - Izu Velodrome, Izu, Japan - Campbell Stewart of New Zealand celebrates coming second in the men's Omnium (Silver)

Photo: SWPix

New Zealand's second cycling medal of the evening came when Campbell Stewart, the 2019 world champion, won silver in the four-event omnium discipline.

Gate was scheduled to ride in today's four-discipline omnium event but crashed heavily when the New Zealand men's pursuit team was leading Australia in the bronze medal race yesterday

He suffered a fractured collarbone and was ruled out of his remaining events at the Olympics.

The omnium was won by Matt Walls of Great Britain on 153 points, with Stewart second on 129, just edging Italy's Elia Viviani - who won the title in Rio five year ago - on 124 for bronze.