Cycling at the 1980 Summer Olympics – Men's sprint

The men's sprint event at the 1980 Summer Olympics took place on 23–26 July 1980 in Krylatskoye Sports Complex Velodrome.[1][2] There were 15 competitors from 15 nations, with three additional non-starters. The event was won by Lutz Heßlich of East Germany, the nation's first victory in the men's sprint. Yavé Cahard took silver, extending France's medal streak to five Games despite the retirement of Daniel Morelon (who had medaled in the past four). Sergei Kopylov of the host Soviet Union earned bronze.

Men's sprint
at the Games of the XXII Olympiad
Soviet stamp commemorating 1980 Olympic cycling
VenueKrylatskoye Sports Complex Velodrome
Dates23–26 July
Competitors15 from 15 nations
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s) Lutz Heßlich
 East Germany
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Yavé Cahard
 France
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Sergei Kopylov
 Soviet Union
← 1976
1984 →

Background edit

This was the 17th appearance of the event, which has been held at every Summer Olympics except 1904 and 1912. The only returning quarterfinalist from 1976 was champion Anton Tkáč of Czechoslovakia. France's Daniel Morelon, who had taken a medal in the last four Games, had retired in 1977. Lutz Heßlich of East Germany was the 1979 world champion and the favorite in Moscow.[3]

Libya and Zimbabwe each made their debut in the men's sprint. France made its 17th appearance, the only nation to have competed at every appearance of the event.

Competition format edit

This sprint competition involved a series of head-to-head matches. The 1980 competition, despite an even smaller starting field than in 1976 (15 cyclists, down from 18), actually increased the number of rounds back to 10 (from eight in 1976). This format used six main rounds (first round, second round, 1/8 finals, quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals) and three repechages, including a two-round first repechage. Only one cyclist was eliminated after the first three rounds (round 1 and the two-round first repechage).[3][4]

  • Round 1: The 18 entrants were divided into 9 heats of 2 cyclists each; because of three withdrawals, three of the heats were walkovers. The winner of each heat advanced directly to round 2 (9 cyclists), while all other cyclists who competed were sent to the first repechage semifinals (6 cyclists).
  • First repechage semifinals: The 6 cyclists were divided into 3 heats, each with 2 cyclists. The winner of each heat advanced to round 2 (3 cyclists), while the loser went to the first repechage final (3 cyclists).
  • First repechage final: The 3 cyclists all competed together in the first repechage final; the top two advanced to round 2 while the last-placed cyclist was the first man eliminated from the competition.
  • Round 2: The 14 cyclists were divided into 7 heats of 2 cyclists each. The winner of each heat advanced to the 1/8 finals (7 cyclists) while losers went to the second repechage (because of one withdrawal, there were only 6 cyclists that went to the repechage).
  • Second repechage: The 6 cyclists competed in 3 heats of 2 cyclists. Winners advanced to the 1/8 finals, losers were eliminated.
  • 1/8 finals: The 10 cyclists who advanced through the first rounds (including repechage) competed in a 1/8 finals round. There were 5 heats in this round, with 2 cyclists in each. The top cyclist in each heat advanced to the quarterfinals (5 cyclists), while the loser in each heat went to the third repechage (5 cyclists).
  • Third repechage: This repechage featured two heats, one of two cyclists and one of three cyclists. Only the last-placed man in each heat was eliminated; the winners advanced to the quarterfinals along with the second-place cyclist in the three-rider heat.
  • Quarterfinals: Beginning with the quarterfinals, all matches were one-on-one competitions and were held in best-of-three format. There were 4 quarterfinals, with the winner of each advancing to the semifinals and the loser going to the fifth-eighth classification race.
  • Semifinals: The two semifinals provided for advancement to the gold medal final for winners and to the bronze medal final for losers.
  • Finals: Both a gold medal final and a bronze medal final were held, as well as a classification final for fifth through eighth places for quarterfinal losers.

Records edit

The records for the sprint are 200 metre flying time trial records, kept for the qualifying round in later Games as well as for the finish of races.

World record   Omar Pkhakadze (URS) 10.61 Mexico City, Mexico 22 October 1967
Olympic record   Leijn Loevesijn (NED) 10.66 Mexico City, Mexico 18 October 1968

Sergei Kopylov recorded 10.55 seconds in the fourth heat of round 2, 10.56 seconds, in the first race of the bronze medal match, and 10.47 seconds in the second race of the bronze medal match.

Schedule edit

All times are Moscow Time (UTC+3)

Date Time Round
Wednesday, 23 July 1980 18:00 Round 1
First repechage semifinals
First repechage final
Round 2
Second repechage
Thursday, 24 July 1980 18:00 1/8 finals
Third repechage
Quarterfinals
Friday, 25 July 1980 19:00 Semifinals
Saturday, 26 July 1980 16:00 Finals

Results edit

Round 1 edit

Round 1 heat 1 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Lutz Heßlich   East Germany 11.42 Q
2 John Musa   Zimbabwe R

Round 1 heat 2 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Anton Tkáč   Czechoslovakia 10.86 Q
2 Fawzi Abdussalam   Libya R

Round 1 heat 3 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Yavé Cahard   France 10.70 Q
2 Terrence Tinsley   Great Britain R

Round 1 heat 4 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Sergei Kopylov   Soviet Union wo Q
Paul Ahokas   Finland DNS

Round 1 heat 5 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Ottavio Dazzan   Italy wo Q
Juan Palacios   Ecuador DNS

Round 1 heat 6 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Benedykt Kocot   Poland wo Q
Hans Fischer   Brazil DNS

Round 1 heat 7 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Henrik Salée   Denmark 11.24 Q
2 James Joseph   Guyana R

Round 1 heat 8 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Heinz Isler   Switzerland 10.98 Q
2 László Morcz   Hungary R

Round 1 heat 9 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Kenrick Tucker   Australia 11.35 Q
2 Lau Veldt   Netherlands R

First repechage semifinals edit

First repechage semifinal 1 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Terrence Tinsley   Great Britain 11.62 Q
2 John Musa   Zimbabwe R

First repechage semifinal 2 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 James Joseph   Guyana 11.08 Q
2 Fawzi Abdussalam   Libya R

First repechage semifinal 3 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Lau Veldt   Netherlands 11.38 Q
2 Fawzi Abdussalam   Libya R

First repechage final edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 László Morcz   Hungary 11.49 Q
2 Fawzi Abdussalam   Libya Q
3 John Musa   Zimbabwe

Round 2 edit

Round 2 heat 1 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Lutz Heßlich   East Germany wo Q
Fawzi Abdussalam   Libya DNS

Round 2 heat 2 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Anton Tkáč   Czechoslovakia 11.23 Q
2 László Morcz   Hungary R

Round 2 heat 3 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Yeve Cahard   France 10.87 Q
2 Lau Veldt   Netherlands R

Round 2 heat 4 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Sergei Kopylov   Soviet Union 10.55 Q, WR
2 James Joseph   Guyana R

Round 2 heat 5 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Ottavio Dazzan   Italy 11.07 Q
2 Terrence Tinsley   Great Britain R

Round 2 heat 6 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Heinz Isler   Switzerland 11.47 Q
2 Henrik Salée   Denmark R

Round 2 heat 7 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Kenrick Tucker   Australia 10.93 Q
2 Benedykt Kocot   Poland R

Second repechage edit

Second repechage heat 1 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Henrik Salée   Denmark 10.94 Q
2 László Morcz   Hungary

Second repechage heat 2 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Lau Veldt   Netherlands 11.04 Q
2 Benedykt Kocot   Poland

Second repechage heat 3 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 James Joseph   Guyana No time Q
Terrence Tinsley   Great Britain DNF

1/8 finals edit

1/8 final 1 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Lutz Heßlich   East Germany 10.75 Q
2 James Joseph   Guyana R

1/8 final 2 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Anton Tkáč   Czechoslovakia 11.19 Q
2 Lau Veldt   Netherlands R

1/8 final 3 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Yavé Cahard   France 10.94 Q
2 Henrik Salée   Denmark R

1/8 final 4 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Sergei Kopylov   Soviet Union 10.95 Q
2 Kenrick Tucker   Australia R

1/8 final 5 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Ottavio Dazzan   Italy 10.95 Q
2 Heinz Isler   Switzerland R

Third repechage edit

Third repechage heat 1 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Heinz Isler   Switzerland 10.95 Q
2 Lau Veldt   Netherlands

Third repechage heat 2 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time Notes
1 Kenrick Tucker   Australia 11.49 Q
2 Henrik Salée   Denmark Q
3 James Joseph   Guyana

Quarterfinals edit

Quarterfinal 1 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Notes
1 Lutz Heßlich   East Germany 10.95 10.96 Q
2 Henrik Salée   Denmark C

Quarterfinal 2 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Notes
1 Anton Tkáč   Czechoslovakia 10.94 10.70 Q
2 Kenrick Tucker   Australia C

Quarterfinal 3 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Notes
1 Yavé Cahard   France 11.05 11.04 Q
2 Heinz Isler   Switzerland C

Quarterfinal 4 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Notes
1 Sergei Kopylov   Soviet Union 10.76 11.00 Q
2 Ottavio Dazzan   Italy C

Semifinals edit

Semifinal 1 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Notes
1 Lutz Heßlich   East Germany 11.60 11.24 Q
2 Sergei Kopylov   Soviet Union B

Semifinal 2 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Notes
1 Yavé Cahard   France 11.28 10.66 Q
2 Anton Tkáč   Czechoslovakia 11.25 B

Finals edit

Classification 5–8 edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Time
200 m
5 Henrik Salée   Denmark 11.36
6 Heinz Isler   Switzerland
7 Kenrick Tucker   Australia
8 Ottavio Dazzan   Italy

Bronze medal match edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Race 1 Race 2 Race 3
  Sergei Kopylov   Soviet Union 10.56 WR 10.47 WR
4 Anton Tkáč   Czechoslovakia

Final edit

Rank Cyclist Nation Race 1 Race 2 Race 3
  Lutz Heßlich   East Germany 11.40 12.01
  Yavé Cahard   France 10.86

References edit

  1. ^ "Cycling at the 1980 Summer Games: Men's sprint". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  2. ^ The Official Report of the Organising Committee for the Games of the XXII Olympiad Moscow 1980 Volume 3 (PDF). p. 205. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Sprint, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  4. ^ Official Report, vol. 3, p. 205.