Downey and Kay preferred for Olympic omniums, Ireland braces for action

*Mark Downey looking slick in Olympic kit in Japan; the 25-year-old is the first our track riders into action when he races tomorrow morning*

Emily Kay and Mark Downey will represent Ireland in the women’s and men’s omniums at the Olympic Games this week, having already been long confirmed of the madison events.

While Kay and Shannon McCurley are Ireland’s Olympic madison pairing, and Downey is selected with Felix English for the men’s madison, the Irish selection for the omnium were pending.

However, Cycling Ireland has confirmed Kay has been picked for the women’s omnium and Downey for the men’s omnium.

All four riders will be in action this week on the 250m Izu Velodrome, about 120km kilometres south of Tokyo.

*Shannon McCurley, above, and the other Irish riders have been familiarising themselves with the track in Japan and will be in race action in the next few days*

Downey, whose father Seamus is also an Olympian, will get the Irish track campaign underway tomorrow, more than a week after Nicolas Roche’s ride in the TT brought Ireland’s road campaign to an end at the Games.

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The men’s omnium, which is made up of four races – the scratch, tempo, points and elimination – and Downey (25) will be in action tomorrow from 7:30am to 10:25am. His appearance will open four days of action for the Irish track riders at the Games.

On Friday, Kay and McCurley will take on the madison race from 9.15am and 10am followed by the Downey and English lining out in the men’s omnium on Saturday, from 8:55am to 9:55am.

Irish interest on the track will conclude on Sunday in the early hours of the morning when Kay rides the women’s omnium, from 2am to 4:45am.

Lydia Gurley and Fintan Ryan have also been selected for Ireland and they are in Tokyo as traveling reserves.

More to follow.