Tokyo Olympics 2020: Scottish cyclist Jack Carlin adds bronze to his silver and now targets gold

Britain's Jack Carlin celebrates after winning Olympic bronze in the men's track cycling sprint at Izu Velodrome. Picture: AFP via Getty Images

Carlin entered Friday with a shot at the gold medal but lost 2-0 in the semi-finals to Dutch world champion Harrie Lavreysen, who had already knocked out Jason Kenny in the quarter-finals.

That set up a best-of-three bronze medal contest against Denis Dmitriev of the Russian Olympic Committee.

The 24-year-old Scot went early in the first heat but showed his power to hold off Dmitriev on the final lap before nip-and-tuck second race ended with him edging across the line less than a wheel length ahead of the ROC rider.

Paisley cyclist Jack Carlin celebrates his bronze medal success in the individual sprint during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Picture: AFP via Getty Images

It means Carlin, 24, is now a double Olympic medallist after being part of the men’s team sprint squad that took silver earlier in the Games.

He could still add another medal to his collection, with he and Jason Kenny both taking part in the keirin, which begins on Saturday.

“It was a tough day today, I didn't have the same in the legs as I did yesterday but I gave it my all and managed to come away with something,” said Carlin.

“I got 20th at the Worlds last year and I said to myself that I'd never be in that place again.

“We focused a lot on the individual event in this extra year and it paid off.”

Ahead of the keirin, and the chance to win gold, silver and bronze at Tokyo 2020, Carlin said: “What was it that Jonny Brownlee said? ‘Completed it mate’. We’ll see...”

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