Emma sets sights on world record bid

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

- By IAN PARKER, PA

Emma Finucane will bid to reclaim the European sprint title in Turkey Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

(Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

The former world champion 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.