DOUBLE BRONZE FOR MITCHELL AND COLES-LYSTER ON DAY FOUR OF COMMONWEALTH GAMES
Birmingham, UK (August 1st, 2022) – Kelsey Mitchell and Maggie Coles-Lyster scored bronze medals in the women’s Keirin and Scratch race. Both athletes took home the final medals for Team Canada on the track to win a total of five medals over the four days of racing.
Endurance athlete, Maggie Coles-Lyster was just shy in a podium finish in yesterday’s women’s Points Race but would come back hungry in her final event on the track to take the first bronze of the day in the Scratch Race in what was a tight finish. After a crash midway through the race, she was able to compose herself and get to the line for third place. Coles-Lyster finished ahead of Canadian teammates, Ariane Bonhomme who finished tenth and Devaney Collier in 11th.
“This is incredible, it’s my first Commonwealth Games and my first medal here,” said Coles-Lyster. “Was fourth yesterday so to get on the podium today was definitely my goal for this whole Games. I race best when it comes down to a bunch finish like that. It was just a matter of positioning and hanging on to wheels but it was a long sprint at the end. I think my desire for a medal pushed me to get through that last lap. To be here in London with this kind of crowd, you really can’t beat it.”
Riding to her fourth medal, Mitchell took home the second bronze for Canada in Track Cycling in the Keirin, medalling in every event she raced over the four days of competition. After qualifying rounds, she would make it to the 1-6 final against strong contenders including New Zealand’s Ellesse Andrews who would make a clear break for gold with Mitchell just behind England’s Sophie Capewell. While Mitchell was the sole Canadian to make the 1-6 final, both Lauriane Genest and Sarah Orban would move on to the 7-12 final with Genest in seventh spot and Orban finishing ninth to cap off their Commonwealth Games schedule.
“I’m happy about getting four medals in the four days mixing it up with a bronze,” said Mitchell. “Keirin is a tough one, and Ellesse and Sophie raced really well and I’m happy to be up on the podium. I’m feeling it in the legs for sure, but the crowd was incredible, and adrenalin kicked in so I didn’t feel it in the legs during the race. We are back to racing again for [Track] Pan Am Champs and then Canadian Nationals, but I love to race so the fun doesn’t stop.”
Road athletes will race next at the Games starting August 4 with both the men’s and women’s Individual Time Trial events before the Road Race on Sunday August 7. Full results and schedules for track and road cycling events can be found here.
