Emma Finucane eyes world record time at European Championships

Welsh cyclist Emma Finucane will be chasing more than just medals at next month’s European Championships as she eyes a world record chance in Turkey.

The former world champion from Carmarthen will be bidding to reclaim the European sprint title she won in 2024 – having not defended it last year – but the 23-year-old expects the qualifying rounds to be as spectacular as the finals with several riders having their eyes on the record books.

That is because the Konya velodrome is among the fastest on the planet – last August Finucane was there to watch her partner Matthew Richardson become the first man ever to complete a flying 200 metre lap in less than nine seconds, setting a new record at 8.857 seconds.

“It definitely did ignite something in me,” Finucane told the Press Association of watching Richardson’s record lap. “I’d love to do it, we’re going back to Konya and it will be a focus of mine.

“I am going to try and go sub-10 and try and break that world record.”

China’s Yuan Liying set the current record of 9.976 seconds in Konya at the Nations Cup last March.

But with new regulations relating to safety and equipment costs due to come into effect from the start of 2027, Finucane believes any records set in the next 12 months could stand for a long time.

“(This opportunity) has almost landed at our door,” added Finucane, who was speaking at the launch of Vauxhall becoming the official automotive partner of Team GB.

“The times now, with safety lids due to come back in, the sport might be slowing down a little bit. I think there aren’t many opportunities that this world record can be taken anymore.

“It’s literally there – and I’m going to go for this record in this event.”

Relegated

The Euros, which will run from February 1-5, will be Finucane’s first major event since the world championships in Santiago in October.

Although she left Chile with two silver medals from the team sprint and keirin, Finucane felt disappointed after the defence of her individual sprint title ended in the quarter-finals – with Finucane relegated for dropping into the sprinter’s lane in her race against Iana Burlakova.

It came at the end of a year in which Finucane had spent little time racing, focusing on individual training and also taking some time out after a Paris Olympics at which she won a gold and two bronze medals to become the first British woman to win three medals at a single Games since Mary Rand in 1964.

That perhaps left her a little race rusty in Santiago but Finucane expects to see the benefits this year.

Confidence

“I love racing and I love using the momentum you get as confidence,” she said. “I think not having that as much last year maybe did play a little part at the worlds.”

But asked if she expected to see gains this year, Finucane added: “100 per cent. I feel like we’ve unpicked quite a few things. I qualified second at the Olympics in the flying 200 and ultimately, I don’t want to be the same athlete I was in Paris if I want to win in Los Angeles.

“Definitely I’ve learnt more. I’ve grown more as an athlete. I think my perspective is better.”