Daily Tribune
Germany's Lea Sophie Friedrich competes in a women's track cycling sprint qualifying round of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines National Velodrome in Montigny-le-Bretonneux, south-west of Paris, on 9 August 2024.
Thomas SAMSON / AFP
Germany's Lea Friedrich smashed the women's sprint world record on Friday, just minutes after New Zealand's Ellesse Andrews did the same.
The 24-year-old blasted round the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines velodrome in 10.029secs during qualifying to lay down a marker ahead of the final on Sunday.
Her sizzling ride came after newly-minted Keirin gold medallist Andrews clocked 10.108 to better the previous world best (10.154) set by Canada's defending Olympic champion Kelsey Mitchell in 2019.
A new mark was on the cards after the Olympic record was lowered four times before Andrews and Friedrich took to the track.
A slew of world records have been set at the lightening-fast Paris velodrome, with nine before the exploits of Andrews and Friedrich.
