Lara Gillespie: "I'm so happy to do it for Ireland. We're strong and mighty" | Sticky Bottle

*Lara Gillespie on the podium with points race world champion Julie Leth of Denmark and world road race champion Lotte Kopecky of Belgium (Photo: SWPIX)*

Lara Gillespie has expressed her delight at being able to put a "rough few days" behind her at the UCI World Track Championships and come away with a bronze medal in the points race after a huge finish.

The Team Ireland rider was on the attack during the race and though her efforts to gain a second lap just came up short, she won the final sprint. That secured double points - 10 in total - and lifted her onto the podium.

It was the 23-year-old's first medal at an elite Worlds after taking European titles at junior and U23 level and also winning a medal at the junior Worlds.

"I'm ecstatic, I'm just so happy I could do it for Ireland, we've been working so hard for this," she said. "We're a small team but, really, I've had the best support all year so I'm just so happy to come out with something this week."

*Gillespie was thrilled with her bronze medal, her first silverware at an elite Worlds after success as a junior and U23 at the Europeans and Worlds (Photo: SWPIX)*

Gillespie went for a lap gain in the race, which would have secure her the gold medal had it come off, but she was still over the moon with bronze.

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"I nearly got the lap, I just looked back too many times," she said. "But I'm just happy I went for it and took the risk because it always pays off.

"I'm just so please. I had a rough few days, these past few days, and I'm just happy to come away with something and show the team that we are, we're strong and mighty."

Gillespie also took 5th in the elimination and 8th in the omnium at the Worlds while also placing 7th in the madison, with Mia Griffin. Also in the Irish team, junior rider Lucy Bénézet Minns made her elite debut with 16th in the individual pursuit.

Though Gillespie put in a very consistent ride in the omnium, she was looked slightly below her best, a fact she confirmed.

"I really suffered a lot, my body was not so happy today but I fought on," she said. "I enjoyed the race, I was aggressive at some times but also I had to be conservative with the feeling that my legs and my body had."

However, at the end of a long season, when she also stepped up to World Tour level on the road with UAE Team ADQ, a first medal at an elite Worlds was a fitting way to end her campaign.