Anna Meares turns attention to defending sprint title after bronze in keirin
THE pressure is off Anna Meares who is preparing to have a “free swing” at defending her sprint title in what could her final Olympic Games appearance.
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THE pressure is off Anna Meares who is preparing to have a “free swing” at defending her sprint title in what could be the final time she is seen on the track in an Olympic Games.
Regardless of the result or whether she goes on after Rio, Meares said she could go home happy having achieved the two goals she set herself and which had remained private until she won bronze in the keirin.
It was the sixth Olympic medal of Meares’s career, which made her the most decorated Australian cyclist in Games history, adding to her two gold, one silver and two bronze in four Olympics.
“I’m super relieved, I’ll be quite honest, I feel like it’s a weight off my shoulders, I’m going into the sprint with a chance to have a free swing,” she said.
“I wanted to improve on my result in the keirin in London ... I felt I should have been better and that was one of the biggest driving forces coming through another Olympic cycle.
“Goal two was win a medal so I’ve done both.
“I came here in the best shape that I could possibly put myself in a position to compete and it was so close in that final, I have to be satisfied and I have to be proud of my efforts and I am.”
Australia’s flag-bearer and team captain survived contact with Hong Kong’s Wai Sze Lee who crashed out of their semi-final before putting it all on the line in the final where she finished just behind Dutch rider Elis Ligtlee and Great Britain’s Becky James.
The 32-year-old said she had no regrets about riding on after London.
“I was thinking about this down in the medal room waiting for the ceremony — a lot of people have asked me why I’m still here and I could have gone out on top in London,” she said.
“But if I did that I would have missed out on my 11th world title, breaking the world record for the 500m, I would have missed out on my sixth Olympic medal and would have missed out on being captain and flag-bearer for the Australian team.
“So I cannot look back on this cycle and ask for any changes because it has given me so much.”
With the sprint competition continuing until Wednesday, Meares said it was not the right time to discuss her future, but she has maintained all along that she would not look beyond Rio until the Games were over, just as she did in Beijing and London.
There is suggestion Meares may retire after Rio despite the lure of a home Commonwealth Games in Queensland in 2018 but she has previously said “anything is possible”.
Despite having not earned a medal in the individual sprint in any world cup or world championship since her London Olympic triumph four years ago, Meares still believes she can go back-to-back in Rio.
“Yes, I think I can, I have to execute perfectly to win it,” she said.
Qualifying was set to begin from 5am Monday morning AEST, quarterfinals are Tuesday and the final is on Wednesday.
Originally published as Anna Meares turns attention to defending sprint title after bronze in keirin
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