China’s Guo Shuang stunned Australia’s Anna Meares 2-0 Saturday in the women’s sprint final at the World Cup Olympic test event, marked by Britain’s Victoria Pendleton’s failure to bag a medal.
Featuring the podium finishers in Beijing four years ago, plus surprise package Wai Sze Lee of Hong Kong, the fight for the women’s medals in the final World Cup of the season was a tense affair.
Meares, the reigning world champion who took Olympic silver in Beijing behind Pendleton, had beaten her 2-1 in the semis to book her place in the final alongside Guo.
However the Australian’s earlier efforts seemed to take their toll as Guo, who arguably had an easier task in dispatching Lee in her semi, went on to win their final in two straight matches.
Guo, the bronze medal winner at the Beijing Games, finished as the World Cup champion on a total of 24 points, two ahead of German Kristina Vogel and four ahead of Meares.
In the battle for bronze Lee – who has only been competing in the match sprint for just over a year – dug deep to beat Pendleton 2-1.