James takes Pendleton's Track Cycling Sprint World Championship title

PUBLISHED: 17:47, 23 February 2013 | UPDATED: 20:40, 23 February 2013

Becky James succeeded Victoria Pendleton as Britain's sprint queen by showing the same blistering power and speed of boyfriend George North at the World Championships on Saturday night.

James, 21, inherited six-time world beater Pendleton's individual sprint title in Belarus just hours after North had helped his Wales side to a Six Nations victory in rain-lashed Rome.

Golden girl: Becky James (left) beats Germany's Kristina Vogel

But Jason Kenny's hopes of adding the world sprint title to his Olympic crown were left in tatters after he lost his quarter-final to New Zealand's Sam Webster in two straight races.

James added gold to the bronze medals she had already bagged in the 500m time trial and team sprint with victory in the individual event over Germany's Kristina Vogel in a thrilling third-race decider.

Pride and joy: Becky James celebrates Gold with her grandfather Ioan James

The Abergavenny rider led out in the first race after swooping down off the banking but as she just faded in the home straight, Vogel snatched it in a photo-finish by millimetres.

But, in the second race, James arrowed in on her rival's rear wheel to take the ride on the line and force a third and deciding battle.

And after a delay, caused by a technical fault, she returned to the track to lead from the front and fend off Vogel for a first senior title.

Golden girl: A jubilant Becky James celebrates her victory in the sprint event in the world championships

With the keirin event to come today, she could finish these championships with an incredible four-medal haul and rival Laura Trott, whose hopes of another double gold are in the balance in the omnium, as the golden girl of the track.

James showed her rich promise with a double gold at the worlds juniors in Moscow in 2009 and a Commonwealth Games silver the following year.

In contention: Jason Kenny qualified seventh fastest in the men's sprint in Minsk

But after that, injury and then illness struck. Belittled by constant stomach pains she was forced to have her appendix removed last February.

She had to be content with a reserve slot as Britain tore the track up in London last summer and Pendleton made her weepy exit.

Since then, though, all the reports were that she was flying in training and James proved that here with personal best marks in the time trial and then in the qualifying heats for the sprint.

Kenny, bare-chested, slumped down in his seat in the British pen in the Minsk arena and began an immediate inquest with sprint coach Ian Dyer who was soon back on his feet with James, who was next up, for her crucial second race.

On the chase: Jason Kenny (right) is closed down by New Zealand's Webster Sam

And his sixth place in the team sprint showed he was not quite at his best here. Kenny never looked like progressing to tonight's medal rounds as Webster easily overtook him in the first race.He may have won the keirin on Friday night with a storming finish, but he had ridden his luck in the earlier rounds to get through to the final.

The New Zealander then took advantage as he was allowed to open up a significant gap in the second race to cross the line well ahead.

Philip Hindes and Matt Crampton went out in the earlier rounds of the sprint, while there was no British double in the points race as Dani King was unable to match surprise gold medallist Simon Yates, finishing eighth.

KATCHING MY I

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Sunday, 24 February 2013

Becky James takes Pendleton's Track Cycling Sprint World Championship title

James takes Pendleton's Track Cycling Sprint World Championship title