Finucane will 'come back fighting' after third gold miss in Shanghai

Emma Finucane will "come back fighting" for gold after missing the top step for the third time at the Track Cycling World Championships in Shanghai.

The 23-year-old took bronze in Sunday's keirin final on 18 October, finishing just 14 thousandths of a second behind the winner. She led into the home straight before being pipped on the line, BBC Sport reported.

The keirin — a bunched sprint that starts behind a pacing bike — was won by Alina Lysenko, competing as a neutral athlete. Germany's Lea Friedrich took silver, leaving Finucane with bronze. Fourteen thousandths. Barely a wheel.

It completed a frustrating set for the Welsh rider in China. She also won silver in the team sprint and silver in the individual sprint. Both titles went to Chinese riders.

Great Britain fielded a changed team sprint line-up. Rhianna Parris-Smith stepped in for the newly retired Katy Marchant alongside Finucane and Sophie Capewell. The British trio were beaten in the final by China's Jiang Yulu, Tong Mengqi and Yuan Liying.

Finucane knows what winning looks like at the highest level. She was part of Britain's first Olympic gold-medal women's team sprint, with Marchant and Capewell, at Paris 2024. She also took bronze in the individual sprint and keirin in Paris.

That Olympic pedigree made Shanghai sting. Three events. Three podiums. No gold.

What makes this stand out is the margin. Sprint track racing is decided by lunges and timing, and Finucane was in the right place in the keirin until the final metres. She got swamped late. That is racing.

There was still plenty for Britain to celebrate. Great Britain topped the overall medal table with 12 medals. Anna Morris led the way with a hat-trick of gold medals.

Finucane said the big target is now clear: keep the Olympic team sprint title in Los Angeles. On this evidence, Britain and China are on a collision course.