Russian wins cycling women's points race title
(people.com.cn)
Updated: 2004-08-26 08:52

Russian cyclist Olga Slyusareva won women's points race gold with an accumulative 20 points at Athens Olympics, ahead of Belem Guerrero of Mexico and Maria Luisa Calle Williams of Colombia.

Guerrero finished second with 14 points, and Williams was the third, garnering 12 points.

Competitors take part in the women's points race final at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games track cycling competition August 25, 2004. [Reuters]

Slyusareva, who won bronze at Sydney Olympics, said she wanted to dedicate the gold medal to her mother.

"Today it's my mother's birthday and my medal belongs to her," said Slyusareva, winner of the event both at World Championships and at World Cups from 2001 to 2004.

"The silver medal was really something, I am great to be here with the result of what we are. It doesn't matter what medal is, what effort is. Anyhow we won one of the medals," said Guerrero, who was fifth in the points race at Sydney Olympics.

The 30-year-old rider said she hoped all of the Mexican would be celebrating the victory, because the race was very difficult.

"The riders are very strong, so for me, it is a tremendous silver medal and it is difficult to get," she said at the press conference after the match.

Williams, aged 36, said the race was very difficult.

"I had very good opponents like Olga Slyusareva and Belem Guerrero, something that made the race very difficult," said the Colombian rider, who only grabbed the fifth place in the Non- Olympic race at this May's World Championships."

"I have been waiting for this moment all my life. It is a great moment for me," she said.