Trott forced to settle for silver in defence of world Omnium title as Hammer triumphs
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Olympic champion Laura Trott had to settle for silver in defence of her women's omnium title at the Track Cycling World Championships as London 2012 runner-up Sarah Hammer triumphed in Minsk.
Trott was third overnight, with three events remaining, five points adrift of the United States' Hammer, who increased her advantage over the Briton to a near-unassailable six points entering the last of six disciplines, the 500metres time-trial.
The 20-year-old Briton finished in 35.675 seconds to place fourth in the discipline, but Hammer was sixth in 36.053secs to take the title with 20 points to Trott's 24.
Podium: Laura Trott won silver behind USA's Sarah Hammer while Australian Annette Edmondson came third
Happy: Trott with her silver medal in Minsk
Trott tweeted: 'Silver in the omnium :) pretty happy with that. Fair play to Sarah Hammer!'
Australia's Annette Edmondson took bronze on 26 points.
Edmondson (35.533) was second in the final discipline to claim bronze ahead of Poland's Katarzyna Pawlowska (36.374), who placed seventh to finish fourth overall with a haul of 32 points.
Gillian Carleton of Canada won the final discipline in 35.510 to finish fifth overall on 39 points.
Second best: Trott was forced to settle for silver as Hammer gained a measure of revenge for the Olympics
Hammer time: The American Hammer (right) extended her lead to an unassailable six points
Trott, world team pursuit champion for a third time earlier this week, said: 'I wanted to win them both again, but I tried my best and a better rider beat me on the day.'
Trott's Achilles heel remains the points race and, unlike in Melbourne and London, she was unable to respond to win gold.
She added: 'I normally leave it to the 500m. I came here hoping I wouldn't do that.
'The points race let me down again. She beat me by seven places in the points race and overall by four.
Small gains: Trott (left) was third overnight and was able to improve to silver medal position today
Not quite: But she didn't quite have enough to overhaul Hammer's large lead
Mirror woman: Trott rounds the bend in the flying lap leg of the omnium race
Out in front: Britain's Becky James (leading) made it through to the final of the women's keirin on Sunday morning
'It's that points race letting me down. I haven't really sat down and worked out how to ride it. My main focus is team pursuit and getting that right.
'I am definitely going to focus on it now. Chris Newton is going to help me.'
Another British hope, Becky James, reached the final of the keirin on Sunday morning. The Welshwoman looked as though she might not qualify after finding herself boxed in with 250m to go of her semi-final.
But a well-timed burst on the final stretch saw her finish second behind Cuba's Lisandra Guerra. Juliana Gaviria of Colombia the third rider who qualified for the final, which starts at 1.35pm.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-2283670/Laura-Trott-takes-omnium-silver-Track-Cycling-World-Championship.html#ixzz2Lp9J8Srn
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