Congratulations wave for Iúri Leitão and Rui Oliveira.
On the penultimate day of the Paris Olympics, Portuguese track cycling duo Iúri Leitão and Rui Oliveira won the Portugal’s only and unique gold medal at the event, bringing congratulations from all sides.
The two young cyclists scored 55 points in the 200 laps of the Vélodrome de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, eight more than Italy, with Simone Consonni and Elia Viviani, in second place, while Denmark, with Niklas Larsen and Michael Moerkoev, finished in third place with 41.
Their victory is all the more spectacular as it is the first for Portugal to win outside of athletics.
Football sensation Cristiano Ronaldo was one of the first to send his congratulations, on Instagram, saying exactly what everyone in Portugal must have been thinking: “What pride, champions!”
Present in Paris for the event, Prime Minister Luís Montenegro echoed this emotion: “What pride for Portugal! Once again it has been proven that with courage and determination our dreams come true.”
Yesterday’s gold was the fourth medal of these games, and the second for Iúri Leitão (he had already won a silver in the omnium a few days earlier) – making the 26-year-old the first Portuguese athlete to win two medals at the same Olympic Games.
Other winners this year were Pedro Pichardo in the triple jump (silver) and Patrícia Sampaio (judo, 78 kg).
But for yesterday’s cycling duo, there will be plenty more congratulations to come, and no doubt a renewed focus on the sport that has suddenly been promoted with such warmth.
Image: José Sena Goulão/Lusa
International press reports showed that Portugal’s victory was never seriously considered.
Said nbcolympics.com: “The men’s Madison was an unlikely victory for the duo as Leitao was tired from the omnium and Oliviera had never won a top-level race. It was only the seventh time the couple had ridden together.
“After the race, Oliveira couldn’t believe his eyes. I have no words,” he said. “This is all a dream. I don’t think I’m living this… I have never won a single race in my life. I’ve been through so many years of disappointment and ultimately, yes, if someone told me I would win my first race at the Olympics, I would say I was kidding myself.
He also agreed that The duo were “not even close to being one of the favorites for this race” but we put our hearts into it and with all my brothers and family here, we pushed the boundaries…”
ND
