Canadian Cyclist Kelsey Mitchell Wins Olympic Women's Sprint Gold

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Cycling - Track - Women's Sprint - Gold Final - Izu Velodrome, Shizuoka, Japan - August 8, 2021. Kelsey Mitchell of Canada celebrates with a Canadian national flag after winning gold. REUTERS/Matthew Childs
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Cycling - Track - Women's Sprint - Gold Final - Izu Velodrome, Shizuoka, Japan - August 8, 2021. Kelsey Mitchell of Canada celebrates with a Canadian national flag after winning gold. REUTERS/Matthew Childs
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Canadian Cyclist Kelsey Mitchell Wins Olympic Women's Sprint Gold

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Cycling - Track - Women's Sprint - Gold Final - Izu Velodrome, Shizuoka, Japan - August 8, 2021. Kelsey Mitchell of Canada celebrates with a Canadian national flag after winning gold. REUTERS/Matthew Childs
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Cycling - Track - Women's Sprint - Gold Final - Izu Velodrome, Shizuoka, Japan - August 8, 2021. Kelsey Mitchell of Canada celebrates with a Canadian national flag after winning gold. REUTERS/Matthew Childs

Canada's Kelsey Mitchell won gold in the women's sprint on the final day of the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday, just four years after taking up the sport.

Mitchell won the first two races in a best-of-three final against Olena Starikova of Ukraine to clinch Canada's first gold medal at the Izu Velodrome.

Hong Kong's Lee Wai-sze took bronze.

It is only Canada’s second Olympic gold medal ever in track cycling and the first since Lori-Ann Muenzer won the same event at Athens 2004.

Mitchell clenched her fists as she performed her victory lap while the Canadian coaches nearby hugged and celebrated the 27-year-old’s remarkable triumph.

She only took up track cycling after attending a Canadian training event in August 2017 and was quickly recruited by Cycling Canada.

Her victory never looked in doubt against Starikova while the favorite for gold, Emma Hinze of Germany, was beaten by Lee in the battle for bronze.



Zverev's Monte Carlo Exit Assures Sinner of Top Rankings Spot on Tour Return

FILED - 07 March 2025, US, Indian Wells: German tennis player Alexander Zverev in action against Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor during their men's singles round of 64 match of the Indian Wells Open tennis tournament. Photo: Maximilian Haupt/dpa
FILED - 07 March 2025, US, Indian Wells: German tennis player Alexander Zverev in action against Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor during their men's singles round of 64 match of the Indian Wells Open tennis tournament. Photo: Maximilian Haupt/dpa
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Zverev's Monte Carlo Exit Assures Sinner of Top Rankings Spot on Tour Return

FILED - 07 March 2025, US, Indian Wells: German tennis player Alexander Zverev in action against Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor during their men's singles round of 64 match of the Indian Wells Open tennis tournament. Photo: Maximilian Haupt/dpa
FILED - 07 March 2025, US, Indian Wells: German tennis player Alexander Zverev in action against Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor during their men's singles round of 64 match of the Indian Wells Open tennis tournament. Photo: Maximilian Haupt/dpa

Jannik Sinner will return to the ATP Tour from his doping ban at next month's Rome Masters as world number one after the Italian's closest challenger Alexander Zverev crashed to an early defeat in Monte Carlo on Tuesday, Reuters reported.
Sinner, 23, accepted a three-month ban in February following an agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency, which earlier challenged an independent tribunal's decision to clear him of any wrongdoing after he failed two drug tests.
Sinner's absence from the circuit had opened the door for Zverev to replace him at the top of the rankings but the German failed to get beyond the quarter-final stage at any of the six tournaments he played since the Australian Open in January.
The world number two lost 2-6 6-3 7-5 to Sinner's compatriot Matteo Berrettini in the Monte Carlo second round.
"I've not won many matches. So it's been the worst period since my injury," Zverev said, who will have to wait till later in the European claycourt swing for another chance to displace Sinner.
"I played a great first set, and once I got broken in the second set, I played 10 levels down. My ball is much slower. I stop hitting the ball.
"The same story the last few months. Nothing changes. So it's me who lost the match, once again ... I thought my level was terrible, but that's just my opinion."
Defending French Open champion and world number three Carlos Alcaraz, who also squandered the chance to reclaim top spot before Sinner's ban ends on May 4, begins his Monte Carlo campaign against Francisco Cerundolo later on Wednesday.