In a spectacular display, Hetty van de Wouw from the Netherlands secured the women’s sprint title at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships held on Friday. She triumphed over Japan’s Mina Sato in a thrilling two heats, making her the second Dutch woman to achieve this feat since Ingrid Haringa in 1991.

The 24-year-old cyclist added this sprint victory to the team sprint gold she earned earlier in the week with her teammates Steffie van der Peet and Kimberly Kalee. Expressing her disbelief, Van de Wouw remarked, “I can’t quite believe it yet. It’s super cool.”

Her self-assurance grew after defeating Olympic champion Ellesse Andrews in the quarterfinals, where she thought to herself, “When I beat Ellesse Andrews, I thought: okay, I’m good. But to become world champion is really bizarre.”

Meanwhile, fellow Dutch cyclist Lorena Wiebes clinched the women’s omnium title. She reclaimed first place in the final sprint after France's Marion Borras took the lead by lapping the field. This latest victory marks Wiebes’ third world title within a span of two weeks, following her wins at the scratch race and Gravel World Championships.

Dedicating her win to her remarkable journey, Wiebes noted, “So much can happen in an omnium. This is, of course, what you hope for, but I didn’t quite expect it.” Her performance in the elimination race provided the confidence needed to take control and secure the title. “Winning three titles in two weeks is the icing on the cake of a great season,” she remarked.

The UCI Track Cycling World Championships will proceed over the weekend, featuring events like the kilometre time trial and keirin, where van de Wouw is set to compete again. Both Dutch athletes are anticipated to vie for additional medals and further showcase their dominant momentum.

In the men’s competitions, Britain’s Josh Charlton earned his inaugural world title in the Individual Pursuit by besting Denmark’s Rasmus Pedersen in the finals, while American Anders Johnson secured the third position. British Josh Tarling also distinguished himself by winning the men’s points race, finishing ahead of American Peter Moore and France’s Clement Petit.

This championship day highlighted the Netherlands’ ongoing prowess in track cycling, as multiple gold medals were awarded in women’s events. The exceptional skill, consistency, and leading performance of both Van de Wouw and Wiebes showcased the wealth of Dutch talent on the international cycling stage.