Having missed the 2008 World Championships after suffering a broken left collarbone following a collision with a car while out training, cyclist
Chris Newton returned to top level competition in style in Beijing, picking up a bronze medal in the men’s points race at Laoshan Velodrome on Saturday evening local time.
Newton’s bronze was Team GB’s fifth medal of the day, following golds for Rebecca Adlington (swimming, 800m freestyle) and rowing’s men’s four, and bronzes in both the women’s and men’s double scull on the rowing lake.
He picked up points steadily throughout the 160-lap, 40km race and earned a 40-point lap bonus to finish third on 56 points, just two behind silver medalist Roger Kluge from Germany. Spain’s Joan Llaneras finished first a further two points ahead.
Newton’s bronze is his third Olympic Games medal, following on from a team pursuit bronze at Sydney 2000 and silver in the team pursuit in Athens four years later.
“It means so much,” he said. “I owe so much to my wife and my baby girl back home. I haven’t seen them at all very much for the past year.
“I didn’t think I was ready until I pulled on the skinsuit, and then everything just kicked into gear.”
Go to www.teamgb.com and click on 'Results' to view all the latest Team GB results. Click on 'Team GB' to view profiles of all Team GB athletes.
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