Emma Finucane is trying to ignore her new status as sprint world champion as she sets her sights on achieving Olympic glory in Paris next summer.
The 20-year-old Welshwoman shocked herself when she took the women’s individual sprint title in Glasgow in August, beating Germany’s favoured Lea Friedrich in the final.
Finucane donned the rainbow jersey for the first time in competition at the UCI Track Champions League opening round in Mallorca this weekend, but while the distinctive striped jersey means she can no longer keep herself inconspicuous, she does not want it to change her approach.
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“People will look at me now,” Finucane told the PA news agency. “Last year I was kind of the underdog and I just came through so now I am wearing the stripes. I hope that doesn’t really change anything.
“I’m just trying to ignore it and just race my bike, but there is some external pressure. I’m not just Emma at the back of the field anymore.”
The rainbow jersey can do different things for different riders. While many take it as a confidence boost, for others the stripes have worn heavily. Finucane said she had spoken to several Great Britain team-mates about how to deal with it.
“I don’t want to look at it (as giving me a psychological edge) because if I lose, then what?” she said. “And I will get beaten, and that’s fine. I just need to take it as it comes.
“Half of it is the mental battle of putting it on and people looking at you and having that pressure, but I’m trying to embrace it and enjoy it because you don’t know if it will happen again.
“Beth Shriever is a really good friend of mine and she’s been the BMX world and Olympic champion. She said she didn’t have the best year in the rainbow jersey because she put too much pressure on herself and she overthought it.
“I’ve spoken to Evie (Richards, 2021 mountain bike world champion) and Katie Archibald (a five-time world champion on the track) and I’m lucky we have so many inspiring women in the Great Britain team. It’s great I can learn from them but ultimately I will only learn from myself and how I deal with it.”
And Finucane believes the Champions League – the made-for-TV track cycling series which is in its third season – is the ideal place to do much of that learning, providing some top-level competition without the stresses and pressures that come elsewhere.
“The next event I’ll do in the rainbows is the Euros (in January) which is when everything is serious,” she said. “I’m not saying this isn’t serious, but it’s a nice place to be free to fail. You can try new things.”
Saturday’s racing in Palma saw Finucane finish second in the sprint, beaten by Germany’s Alessa-Catriona Propster, before failing to make the keirin final through some tired legs. But it was just the sort of experience she was looking for when it came to dealing with her new status.
Finucane will wear the stripes into an Olympic year but despite her status is taking nothing, not even squad selection, for granted.
“Nothing is guaranteed,” she said. “I’d love to go and I’m really pushing myself but I need to take each race as it comes. If I just think about Paris and everything else goes wrong I’ll not be going.
“But it’s in the back of my mind because since I was 10 years old I’ve wanted to ride the Olympics.
“As the GB sprint team we’ll not just be going there to ride but we’re looking for medals and I fully believe we have the potential to win. It’s super exciting but also super scary.”
JOA President Samuda and Minister Grange express condolences following George Rhoden’s passing
Jamaica's sporting community continues to mourn the passing of Olympic gold medalist George Rhoden on Saturday, August 24, 2024, at the age of 97. Rhoden, the last surviving member of Jamaica's legendary 4x400m relay team that won gold at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, leaves behind a legacy of excellence that has deeply impacted Jamaican athletics.
In the wake of his passing, Jamaica Olympic Association President Christopher Samuda and Jamaica’s Minister of Sport Olivia Grange have expressed their heartfelt condolences to Rhoden’s family, friends, and the wider athletic community.
President Samuda reflected on Rhoden’s life with admiration, highlighting his commitment, resilience, and the pride he took in representing Jamaica on the global stage.
“A life lived nobly and with national pride on the track. A Morgan State University alumnus, who studied and learnt lessons of commitment, resilience, and excellence which he exemplified in his golden exploits in the Helsinki 1952 Olympic Games and preceding Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games. A Jamaican who understood the value of legacy creation in sport as a critical element of nation building," Samuda said.
He emphasized that Rhoden's life and achievements serve as an inspiration for future generations of athletes, illustrating that greatness is within reach for those who are determined.
"Olympian George Rhoden has bequeathed, generously, to the athletic world a script that we can become what we will ourselves to be and that in any endeavour your footprints will blueprint the length and greatness of your stride," Samuda added.
"My heartfelt regrets to his family who mourn his passing amidst a celebration of a life characterized by values in sport and a pilgrimage on the track, the end of which will continue to inspire the beginning of many a journey by youth."
Minister Grange also paid tribute to Rhoden, recognizing his pivotal role in Jamaican track and field history and his enduring impact on the sport.
“It’s so sad that Vincent George Rhoden, the last of the celebrated quartet that won the gold medal for Jamaica in the mile relay at the Helsinki Olympics in 1952, has left us,” Minister Grange said.
She recalled the historic victory of Rhoden and his teammates Herb McKenley, Les Laing, and Arthur Wint in Helsinki, where they not only won gold but set a new world record in the process.
“The team of George Rhoden, Herb McKenley, Les Laing, and Arthur Wint took the gold in world record-breaking time in Helsinki. This they did after their disappointment in the London Olympics in 1948 when Arthur Wint pulled up in the race. Of note also is the fact that before the relay, George had beaten his close friend, Herb McKenley, to win the gold medal in the 400m,” Grange reflected.
Minister Grange also pointed out Rhoden’s significant achievements prior to the Olympics, including his world record in the 400m in 1950, a performance that set the stage for Jamaica’s future successes in track and field.
“There is no doubt that Vincent George Rhoden played his part in paving the way for future generations of Jamaican track athletes, who have certainly not let him down,” she said.
Expressing her condolences, she added, “My most sincere condolences to his family, relatives, friends, and associates. A sprinter par excellence but whose long life was more like a marathon. Rest in peace, Vincent George Rhoden.”
George Rhoden’s passing marks the end of an era for Jamaican athletics, but his legacy will continue to inspire and guide future generations of athletes as they strive to emulate his achievements and uphold the proud tradition of Jamaican excellence on the track.
Olympic champion Thea LaFond-Gadson to receive Dominica Award of Honour
Dominican Olympic triple jump champion Thea LaFond-Gadson will receive her country’s highest national award, the Dominica Award for Honour, Dominican Prime Minister the hon. Roosevelt Skerrit announced on Tuesday.
LaFond-Gadson made history at the Paris Olympics in August, jumping a personal best and national record 15.02m to claim her country’s first ever Olympic medal.
This performance was the culmination of a brilliant 2024 for the 30-year-old when it comes to major championships.
She also took gold at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow in March, her country’s first medal at a global championship.
In addition to her national award, LaFond-Gadson will also receive $400,000, a lot at Warner and a diplomatic appointment as a sports ambassador.
“We once again congratulate Thea on her achievement and wish her continued success in her athletics career,” Skerrit said.
Jamaican Olympic legend George Rhoden passes away at 97
The athletics world mourns the loss of George Vincent Rhoden, a Jamaican sporting icon and two-time Olympic gold medalist, who passed away at the age of 97 on August 24, 2024. Rhoden was the last surviving member of Jamaica's historic 4x400m relay team that clinched gold at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, marking a significant moment in Jamaica’s rich athletic history.
Born on December 13, 1926, in Kingston, Jamaica, Rhoden’s journey to Olympic greatness began in the late 1940s, where he emerged as one of the leading long sprinters of his era. Alongside his compatriots Arthur Wint and Herb McKenley, Rhoden helped establish Jamaica as a dominant force in athletics during the post-war period.
Rhoden first competed in the 1948 London Olympics, where he participated in the 100m and 400m events. Although he did not secure a medal in London, it was a precursor to the greatness that would follow. Rhoden and his teammates were expected to perform strongly in the 4x400m relay, but a muscle injury to Wint during the final dashed their hopes of a medal.
Undeterred, Rhoden continued to build on his successes. On August 22, 1950, he set a new world record in the 400m, clocking 45.8 seconds in Eskilstuna, Sweden. His dominance in the 400m was further cemented by his victories in the AAU championships from 1949 to 1951 and the NCAA championships while at Morgan State University, where he claimed titles in the 220-yard (200m) and 440-yard (400m) events.
Rhoden’s crowning achievement came at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, where he was a pre-race favorite in the 400m. In a thrilling race, Rhoden narrowly edged out his fellow Jamaican and close friend, Herb McKenley, to claim the gold medal. But Rhoden’s Olympic glory did not end there. As the anchor leg of Jamaica’s 4x400m relay team, he led his team to victory, securing a second gold medal and setting a new world record of 3:03.9. This victory was especially sweet, as it came against the United States, the country where Rhoden had made his home after moving to San Francisco.
Rhoden’s legacy is one of perseverance, excellence, and national pride. His achievements paved the way for future generations of Jamaican athletes, setting a standard of excellence that continues to inspire.
As the last surviving member of that legendary 1952 relay team—comprising Rhoden, Herb McKenley, Arthur Wint, and Les Laing—his passing marks the end of an era for Jamaican athletics. Rhoden’s contributions to the sport, both on and off the track, will be remembered as a cornerstone of Jamaica's rich sporting heritage.
George Rhoden is survived by his family, friends, and a grateful nation that will forever honor his contributions to Jamaica's sporting legacy.
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