Track Cycling World Championships: Emma Finucane will 'come back fighting' after narrowly missing gold in Shanghai

Emma Finucane said she will “come back fighting” for gold medals after narrowly missing out on the top step of the podium for the third time at the Track Cycling World Championships, external in Shanghai.

Finucane, 23, was forced to settle for bronze in Sunday’s keirin after being pipped to the finish line by neutral athlete Alina Lysenko and Lea Friedrich of Germany after leading into the home straight.

She finished just 14 thousandths of a second off top spot, with her bronze adding to silver medals won in the team sprint and individual sprint – both won by Chinese cyclists.

Finucane was part of Great Britain’s team sprint gold medal-winning trio at the Paris Olympics in 2024 and Finucane says retaining that title in Los Angleles is the big aim.

She told BBC Sport: “To medal in all three races at the world champs, I’d never done that before.

“The confidence I have gained this week and the way I’ve been riding my bike, I can take that into the years to come.

“I’m actually really proud. I am frustrated not to be on the top step but I’ll come back fighting. You can beat yourself up about races but I am learning all the time.

“Ultimately we are learning for the Olympics, that’s a huge goal. I put myself in winning positions in every race and that’s something I am proud of.”

Finucane, who took bronze in both the individual sprint and keirin in Paris, won Britain’s first Olympic gold in the women’s team sprint alongside Katy Marchant and Sophie Capewell.

In Shanghai, Rhianna Parris-Smith replaced the newly-retired Marchant in the team which was beaten by Chinese trio Jiang Yulu, Tong Mengqi and Yuan Liying.

Finucane says the strength in depth inside the British team will drive them to success at the LA Games in 2028.

She said: “We won the team sprint in Paris which is one of the best moments of my life and there are 10 girls back at home fighting to be in the team. That’s how we progress, and we will build on the momentum of this silver medal.

“Internal competition is how we win bike races. World records keep falling, we are pushing each other and it’s really exciting.”

Great Britain topped the medal table overall at the championships with 12 medals, including a hat-trick of gold medals for Anna Morris.