August 3/19 20:53 pm - Mitchell Sets Pan Am Record, Coles-Lyster 7th in Omnium

Posted by Editoress on 08/3/19
 

Kelsey Mitchell set the fastest time in qualifying for the women's Sprint, with a time of 10.890 for the Flying 200m, breaking the previous record of 10.992, set by fellow Canadian Monique Sullivan at the 2015 Toronto Games.  She then won her eighth-final and quarter-final races to advance to the semi-finals tomorrow.

Based on her results in the semis, Mitchell will either race for gold or bronze on Sunday.  Amelia Walsh qualified sixth and won her eighth-final, before being knocked out of the quarter-final round.  Mitchell will race Jessica Salazar of Mexico in the semi-final round.

"I was racing against the girl from Guatemala [in the quarter-finals], who I had lost to previously in another race, so I didn't take her lightly," said Mitchell.  "My strategy was to get her going early and tire her out, and come around at the end.  I went to the front and was able to hold on to the end.  I qualified with the fastest time, but that means nothing, it could be anything tomorrow.  So, I have to take it one race at a time and go all out."

In the women's Omnium, Maggie Coles-Lyster finished seventh overall after four events.  After finishing fifth in the Scratch and seventh in the Tempo, Coles-Lyster was sixth in the Elimination, to go into the final Points Race in sixth place.  She slipped one spot in the final event to finish seventh overall with 95 points.

"I went into each race knowing that my strength is in my sprint," said Coles-Lyster.  "I wanted to be top-5 in each event; I gave it all I had but came up short in the end.  I raced each one exactly as I wanted to, and just didn't quite have the legs."

Pan Am Games: Track Day 3 results