Top Ten Finish for Gillespie in Olympic Omnium
Lara Gillespie took to the track as the final Team Ireland athlete to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, competing in the last race in the Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines velodrome, on the final day of the Games.
Gillespie concluded the Games with an exceptional top 10 finish in the Women’s Omnium.
The Omnium includes four separate races within approximately three hours and saw 22 riders battle it out to come home with a coveted Olympic medal.
Beginning with the Scratch Race – 30 laps, totalling 7.5km. The opening race got off to a steady start with the pace developing around the 20 lap marker. Gillespie finished in 15th place, picking up 12 points.
An excellent ride in the Tempo Race saw Gillespie move up the leaderboard. A well timed lap gain, combined with four sprint victories helped Gillespie claim victory the Tempo Race, adding 40 points to her overall tally.
In the third event of the Omnium, the Elimination race, Gillespie put another strong performance, finishing in ninth place and bringing her overall score to 76, just 20 points off a bronze medal.
Gillespie gained an early lap gain, scoring 20 points alongside reigning European Champion Anita Stenberg, in the final race of the day – the Points Race.
With very little separating riders in the top ten there was a constant movement on the leaderboard, with both the silver and bronze medal placings up for grabs at various points. Riders battled it out for each of the sprints and for occasional lap gains. Gillespie stayed close to the front of the group and put in a strong performance to finish 10th overall.
At just 23-years-old, Gillespie has shown great promise, reflecting on the race she said:
“I am quite disappointed to be honest. I was hoping for a top five result here but I am proud of how I raced. I was brave. I took chances. I gave everything there. The last few laps, I was in so much pain. I had a really bad pain in my stomach. I really gave everything to put my best foot forward.”
“I made a big mistake at the start by getting such an average result in the Scratch race. But there’s lots to improve on, lots of positives and negatives. I’m looking forward to learning from it.
“I think everyone here, except maybe four girls, have medals at World Championships, European Championships and Olympics so it’s really cool to be a part of it and I can do better in four years.”
Jennifer Valente won her second consecutive Omnium Olympic Gold medal, adding to her Team Pursuit Gold from earlier this week. Poland’s Daria Pikulik was second and New Zealand’s Ally Wollaston completed the podium.
Making her Olympic debut, Gillespie was part of the team who set a new national record and made history as the first Women’s Team Pursuit team to represent Team Ireland at an Olympics Games on Tuesday. She then joined forces with Alice Sharpe to compete in the Women’s Madison on Friday and she concluded the Games with the Omnium today.
Asked to summarise it all she said:
“It’s been a really good learning experience and just phenomenal seeing all the other athletes in other sports doing well. Ireland is a small nation but we’re doing everyone so proud and it’s really cool to be a part of it. I’m excited for more to be sure!”
The Co. Wicklow rider has shown tremendous form in this event over recent years. She won gold in the Omnium at the UEC Under 23 European Championships last year, as well as winning the Points race at the same championships.
Gillespie narrowly missed out on a podium finish in the Omnium at the 2024 UEC European Championships this January, finishing fourth. In her final preparation run before the Games, she was third at Ghent International Track Meet.
The 2024 Paris Olympic Games concludes with the Closing Ceremony this evening.