Finucane aims to inspire future female sprinters

World and European track sprint champion Emma Finucane aims to help inspire young female cyclists to follow her into sprinting.

Since Great Britain’s team sprinters shone at the 2012 London Olympics, they have not made a Games.

Finucane’s recent solo success came alongside team sprint silver medals at the 2023 World Championships in Glasgow and January’s European Championships.

She is “hopeful” GB’s sprinters will qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“That hasn’t been the case for the last two cycles,” said Finucane.

“That is super exciting and I think it shows we can do it. We work just as hard as everyone else and the results will come.

“I hope to inspire younger people to get into sprinting because I didn’t really know a lot about it when I was younger.

“All you would see was Laura Kenny and the endurance riders, so I think it’s a huge thing for the women’s sprint.”

Katy Marchant’s solo efforts during a fallow period for GB women’s team sprinters were a beacon for the likes of Finucane.

Marchant is now part of British Cycling’s Olympic podium squad alongside Sophie Capewell, Lauren Bell and Milly Tanner.

Speaking at the British National Championships in Manchester, 21-year-old Finucane said: “Women’s track sprinting has come on loads and I think that’s down to the strength in depth we have.

“Even at the nationals, we have so many girls breaking personal bests and pushing each other on.

“We have that internal competition and it really, really helps the women’s sprint.”

Reflecting on her own rise from teenage hopeful to potential Olympic medallist, Carmarthen-born Finucane added: “I moved up in January of 2021 [to join the GB squad in Manchester] and I didn’t think Paris was a possibility for me.

“I’m quite young and I’d just moved out of home and only just purely started track sprinting.

“My career progressed from there and I’m now trying to qualify for the Games, so it really is exciting.

“I’ve just tried to take each race as it comes like I always do. I think there has been a part of my career that has happened quite quickly, but I wouldn’t have it any other way, just living and riding my bike with these amazing girls around.”

Finucane accepts her golds at last summer’s worlds and at the Europeans in January have brought expectations of similar feats in Paris later this year.

“I’m aware of [the expectations] but I’m just going to try and enjoy the journey, not just focus on the outcome,” she said.

“I feel like that’s where people get lost. It’s a journey and there’s still a long way to go. I’m trying to enjoy the people around me, I still have my circle around me, and I just want to enjoy racing.

“I feel that’s when I’m at my best.”