Silver for Trott (From Free Press Series)

Silver for Trott

11:59am Sunday 24th February 2013 in National Sport News © Press Association 2013

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.

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.

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. 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."