May 29, 2004 (Melbourne, Australia) – The 2004 UCI Track Cycling World
Championships continued this evening with the finals of the women’s sprint
in which Jennie Reed (Kirkland, Wash.) took a convincing win in the race to
decide 5th-8th place ahead of Oxana Grishna (RUS) and Simona Krupeckaite
(LTU). Reed, who was eliminated by Australian Anna Meares in the 1/4 finals
yesterday, returned today with a focus on proving herself as a sprinting
force on the world stage. Today’s fifth place finish, along with her bronze
medal earlier in the week in the keirin, suggest that she will be a medal
contender in Athens in the sprint events.

Reed’s fifth place finish secured Olympic start positions for the U.S. in
both the women’s sprint and the 500m time trial.

Also this evening in the women’s points race, Erin Mirabella (Racine, Wis.)
placed 13th with one point. The event was won by Olga Slyusareva (RUS) who
claimed her fourth consecutive world championship. Vera Carrara (ITA) and
Belem Guerrero (MEX) placed second and third respectively. The trio lapped
the field late in the race but Slyusareva’s three intermediate sprint
victories were the difference in the end.

To automatically qualify an Olympic spot in the women’s points race,
Mirabella needed a top-four finish tonight, but a closer look at UCI
regulations revealed that Mirabella’s performance tonight could still
solidify a start position for the U.S. in the women’s points race. The UCI
will officially confirm Olympic start positions following the completion of
the world championships.

The U.S. team continues its quest to secure Olympic start positions in the
final day of the world championships on Sunday. Tanya Lindenmuth
(Trexlertown, Pa.) will contest the women’s sprint where a top-two finish
can secure a second start position in Athens in the women’s 500m time
trial.

Also in action tomorrow is Becky Quinn (Quakertown, Pa.). Quinn will ride
in the women’s scratch race where no Olympic start positions are at stake
as the scratch race is not an Olympic discipline. Also on the program
tomorrow are the men’s madison and the finals of the men’s sprint, neither
of which the U.S. will contest.