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OTHER CYCLING : Track Racing : Shane Stokes Last Updated: 2 Apr 2018 - 8:45:17 PM

O'LOUGHLIN ELEVENTH IN OLYMPIC GAMES PURSUIT
By Shane Stokes
15 Aug 2008,

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Irish champion David O�Loughlin fell short of his own expectations in today�s qualification round of the individual pursuit in Beijing, placing eleventh in the 4000 metre event.

The Mayo rider squared off against former world champion Bradley McGee (Australia) in the seventh heat and neither rode to their full potential. McGee ultimately finished ninth quickest in a time of 4 minutes 26.084 seconds, with O�Loughlin two places further back. His time of 4 minutes 26.102 was over five seconds off his national record of 4 minutes 20.91.

That was set at the world championships in Manchester in March; O�Loughlin finished sixth there and had been hoping to equal or better that performance today.

The quickest time was 4 minutes 15.031, as set by defending champion Bradley Wiggins (Great Britain). Hayden Roulston (New Zealand) was next in 4 minutes 18.990, with Alexei Markov (Russia) taking third with a mark of 4 minutes 21.498.

Volodymyr Dyudya (Ukraine), Steven Burke (Great Britain), Antonio Tauler (Spain), Taylor Phinney (USA) and Alexander Serov (Russia) completed the top eight and will all progress to tomorrow�s next round. The fastest four of these will then fight it out for the medals.

�I was a bit disappointed with today,� O�Loughlin admitted afterwards. �We expected things to go better than they did, to be honest. I was on schedule after one kilometre and still on track after two. We had set out quite a conservative schedule and I was on course. But I wasn�t able to pick it up in the third kilometre and after that, really slowed down coming to the finish. I have no idea why. It�s quite disappointing.�

When asked if he had identified a possible reason for his lack of pace, he said that he was unsure what could have been the cause. However he was sure that pressure was not an issue. �There is not one factor that explains it. It wasn�t nerves � I had done a lot of work with a [sport] psychologist beforehand. In fact, I was feeling quite confident beforehand, knowing that I�d done a lot of work getting ready.

�Maybe I tapered too much, I don�t know. But all my training and my test times suggested I was on course. I had been aiming for a time of 4�18 or maybe 4�17, so I�m not sure what happened.�

Although O�Loughlin is disappointed not to ride as well as he hoped, he can take consolation from the fact that he is so new to this area of the sport. That fact plus his strong showing in the world championship means that he believes he has a chance of taking a medal in the 2009 worlds.

�It�s easy to forget I only took up the pursuit two years ago,� he said. �Taking eleventh in the Olympics and sixth in the worlds is good when you consider that. As regards going for a medal next year, for sure it is possible. We have already talked about it�I am more motivated now than ever. We�ll go away, work hard at it and target the worlds.�

Ireland�s Olympic campaign will conclude next Saturday week when Robin Seymour lines out in the cross country mountainbike event.

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Olympic games individual pursuit, Beijing (qualification):

1, Bradley Wiggins (Great Britain) 4 mins 15.031 secs (56.463 km/h)
2, Hayden Roulston (New Zealand) 4 mins 18.990 secs
3, Alexei Markov (Russia) 4 mins 21.498 secs
4, Volodymyr Dyudya (Ukraine) 4 mins 21.530 secs
5, Steven Burke (Great Britain) 4 mins 22.260 secs
6, Antonio Tauler (Spain) 4 mins 22.462 secs
7, Taylor Phinney (USA) 4 mins 22.86 secs
8, Alexander Serov (Russia) 4 mins 23.732 secs

Riders eliminated from next round:

9, Bradley McGee (Australia) 4 mins 26.084 secs
10, Sergi Escobar (Spain) 4 mins 26.102 secs
11, David O'Loughlin (Ireland) 4 mins 26.102 secs
12, Brett Lancaster (Australia) 4 mins 26.139 secs
13, Jens Mouris (Netherlands) 4 mins 27.445 secs
14, Vitaliy Popkov (Ukraine) 4 mins 30.321 secs
15, Fabien Sanchez (France) 4 mins 33.100 secs
16, Carlos Alzate (Colombia) 4 mins 35.154 secs
17, Alexandr Pliuschin (Moldova) 4 mins 35.468 secs
18, Jenning Huizenga (Netherlands) 4 mins 37.097 secs


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