GB rider falls and loses to Slovakia's Jozef Metelka.
I just kind of ran out of energy and collapsed.
Pursuit cycling is a sport of high stakes, where risk and reward often collide. Britain’s Archie Atkinson experienced this harsh reality when he was denied a gold medal after a dramatic crash in the men’s C4 4,000m final, just one lap short of victory.
Atkinson had built a six-second lead over his rival, Slovakia’s Jozef Metelka, but as the race approached its climax, the gap was closing. The 20-year-old had earlier set a world record in qualifying and was poised to push for gold. However, the atmosphere in the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines velodrome turned tense when Atkinson’s bike slipped from under him on the top bend, sending him crashing to the ground.
Clearly in pain, Atkinson struggled to his feet with support, as his family watched in tears from the stands. Metelka claimed the victory but, in a show of sportsmanship, immediately checked on Atkinson after crossing the finish line, unable to fully celebrate amid the concern. The capacity crowd, moved by Atkinson’s efforts, stood and chanted his name, "Archie! Archie!"
Despite his injuries, Atkinson recovered enough to participate in the medal ceremony, where he acknowledged the crowd with a fist pump of joy. However, moments later, he required further medical attention after vomiting, likely due to heat exhaustion from his intense effort and the stifling conditions in the velodrome.
Reflecting on the race before his illness set in, Atkinson remained positive. “I think I’m OK. I can see, [my body] is all in one piece, I’m happy,” he said. “I couldn’t have done any better than that. I dug as deep as I’ve ever dug. I think it showed. I just sort of ran out of energy and went down.”
He added, “Today has been incredible. It’s been a bit out of this world. I’m very proud, very happy. Paralympic record and a silver medal—I never imagined that. To race against Metelka, one of the best C4 riders ever, is an honor.”
Atkinson had started the race with explosive speed, aiming to break the world record for the second time in a day. By the fourth of 16 laps, he was two seconds ahead of Metelka, and by the halfway point, the gap had increased to five seconds. At that moment, it seemed the Briton had the former Paralympic champion within reach, ready to clinch victory—until fate intervened.
