BALLERUP: Kento Yamasaki won Japan’s first world title in the men’s keirin since 1987 as record-chasing Olympic gold medallist Harrie Lavreysen was eliminated in the semi-finals on Thursday.

It was one of two golds for Japan on the second night of the world track championships in Ballerup, Denmark, as Kazushige Kuboki then dominated the scratch race, a non-Olympic event.

Even though the keirin was invented in Japan, the country’s only title in either men’s or women’s races at the world championships or Olympics was collected by Harumi Honda in Vienna 37 years ago.

On Thursday, Yamasaki brought the gold home when he out-sprinted Israel’s Mikhail Yakovlev and Colombia’s reigning champion Kevin Quintero in the final.

Lavreysen, who won three straight keirin world titles from 2020 to 2022, was second in the consolation final to finish eighth overall.

The 27-year-old five-time Olympic champion, had taken his overall tally to 14 world golds the night before as part of the Dutch sprint team. That matched the record set by Frenchman Arnaud Tournant between 1997 and 2008.

Lavreysen now shifts his focus towards individual sprint where he will try to grab his sixth straight world title on Sunday.

The home team gave the fans a victory as Denmark defended their men’s team pursuit title, beating Olympic runners-up Great Britain in the final.

The Danes had missed a medal in Paris. Olympic champions Australia did not enter.

Great Britain closed the evening by edging Germany in the women’s pursuit.

New Zealand’s Ally Wollaston upset Belgian star Lotte Kopecky in the women’s elimination race.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2024