• Track Cycling World Championships

Varnish and James secure world track bronze

ESPN staff
February 27, 2014
Jess Varnish and Becky James finished behind Germany and China © Getty Images
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Jess Varnish and Becky James provided better news for Great Britain as they won women's team sprint bronze on the opening day of the Track Cycling World Championships in Columbia.

On the same day which the men's team pursuit side recorded their worst result in 15 years, finishing eighth and well out of the medal race-offs, Varnish and James clocked a time of 33.032 seconds to see off the challenge of Russia.

"It was a solid performance," Varnish said. "It's a really different track to what we've ridden on and you can't really compare it to other performances. I think we should be happy."

Miriam Welte and Kristina Vogel, the Olympic champions and current world record holders, won a third consecutive world title for Germany with China taking the silver. Welte and Vogel claimed top prize with a time of 32.440 seconds.

Team GB's men's sprint team finished fifth to make it three successive years without a medal. London 2012 champions Phil Hindes and Jason Kenny, along with Kian Emadi, failed to secure a shot for the world title, which Great Britain have not won since 2005.

"It is frustrating for me," Kenny said. "I've got a lot of medals in this event over the years, not many of them gold. We've got the Olympic gold medals, which is the main one. We're disappointed with the result, but the time itself and the way we rode wasn't that bad."

Kenny will attempt to defend his world keirin title on day two in Coli.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
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