Emma

Emma Finucane said she will “come back fighting” for gold medals after narrowly missing out on the top step of the podium for the third time at the Track Cycling World Championships, external in Shanghai.

Finucane, 23, was forced to settle for bronze in Sunday’s keirin after being pipped to the finish line by neutral athlete Alina Lysenko and Lea Friedrich of Germany after leading into the home straight.

She finished just 14 thousandths of a second off top spot, with her bronze adding to silver medals won in the team sprint and individual sprint – both won by Chinese cyclists.

Finucane was part of Great Britain’s team sprint gold medal-winning trio at the Paris Olympics in 2024 and Finucane says retaining that title in Los Angleles is the big aim.

She told BBC Sport: “To medal in all three races at the world champs, I’d never done that before.

“The confidence I have gained this week and the way I’ve been riding my bike, I can take that into the years to come.

“I’m actually really proud. I am frustrated not to be on the top step but I’ll come back fighting. You can beat yourself up about races but I am learning all the time.

“Ultimately we are learning for the Olympics, that’s a huge goal. I put myself in winning positions in every race and that’s something I am proud of.”

Finucane, who took bronze in both the individual sprint and keirin in Paris, won Britain’s first Olympic gold in the women’s team sprint alongside Katy Marchant and Sophie Capewell.

In Shanghai, Rhianna Parris-Smith replaced the newly-retired Marchant in the team which was beaten by Chinese trio Jiang Yulu, Tong Mengqi and Yuan Liying.

Finucane says the strength in depth inside the British team will drive them to success at the LA Games in 2028.

She said: “We won the team sprint in Paris which is one of the best moments of my life and there are 10 girls back at home fighting to be in the team. That’s how we progress, and we will build on the momentum of this silver medal.

“Internal competition is how we win bike races. World records keep falling, we are pushing each other and it’s really exciting.”

Great Britain topped the medal table overall at the championships with 12 medals, including a hat-trick of gold medals for Anna Morris.

Emma Willis has shared an update on Delta Goodrem after she was forced out of Strictly Come Dancing and admitted she could tell “something wasn’t right” with the pop star

Emma Willis has shared an update on Delta Goodrem after she was forced out of Strictly Come Dancing.

Pop singer Delta is currently in the lineup of celebrities trying their luck on the dancefloor. Whilst she and Kai Widdrington managed to top the leader board last week with their Salsa, it quickly emerged that the singer had done the show in “absolute agony” and on the Sunday, she went to hospital with a rib injury.

Appearing on Thursday’s edition of It Takes Two, Emma told host Ellie Taylor that it was somewhat obvious that something was amiss with Delta’s health at the time. She said: “It’s such a shame. I think it became quite apparent after the show that last week that something wasn’t right.”

Delta has been given a free pass – or bye – to the next round of the competition and, even though she will miss out on Icons Week, Emma said the cast and crew are hopeful this will mean she will be back and fighting fit.

She added: “We’re just hoping that because she has this bye week, by the week after, she’ll be good to get back. Fingers crossed!”

The TV presenter Emma, 50, took the reins of the new series of the BBC Saturday night favourite along with Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe when Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman left at the end of last year.

Delta, who is best known for starring in Australian soap Neighbours and released hits such as Innocent Eyes before representing her home country at Eurovision earlier this year, has broken her rib but is hoping to recover in time for next week and – following her doctor’s order – has been getting rest at home.

Taking to social media, she wrote: “Just wanted to come on here and say a big Thank you to everyone who has sent messages and wrote lovely comments the last couple of days, I see them all.

“Not the start to the week I’d hoped for but your support has meant the world. Also special big thank you to my amazing dance partner @kaiwidd who I will miss dancing with this weekend but I am so beyond grateful for his guidance and friendship through it all.. as well as the wonderful Strictly team!!”

She added: “Resting and recovering at home and will be cheering everyone on from my couch on Saturday night xx.” Delta had previously said she was “absolutely gutted” to be out the show for the week, and hoped she’d be back the following week.

It was revealed today that Delta’s planned dance to Dolly Parton’s Jolene with Kai Widdrington will be performed instead by Amy Dowden.

A spokesperson for the show had said: “Due to injury, Delta Goodrem has been advised by doctors to rest and, as a result, will not dance on this weekend’s Strictly Come Dancing.

“In line with the rules of the show, Delta and Kai will receive a bye through to next week when it is hoped they will be able to dance again. We wish Delta the very best as she continues her recovery.”

Delta added: “I’ve been loving every second of this experience, so having to sit this one out is heartbreaking – especially after the high of Saturday night.” “I cannot tell you how much I love being a part of this magical show. I’m going to focus on resting and recovering, and hopefully I’ll be back on that dancefloor very soon. Thank you so much to everyone for all the love and support. It’s so appreciated. I’ll be cheering everyone on from the sidelines this week!”

Sources revealed that Delta’s rib injury “deteriorated” and she was “in absolute agony” performing. She was later rushed to hospital to undergo tests but is now resting at home.

A source said: “Delta has been pushing herself as far as possible to impress Strictly viewers. A small injury at the start of last week has quickly deteriorated. On Saturday night, despite putting on a brave face and smiling, she was in absolute agony.

“Filming didn’t wrap until late Saturday night and she was exhausted. The plan was to go home and get some rest but she could hardly sleep. On Sunday morning she was raced to A&E and then spent most of Monday also at the hospital.”

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Finucane will now be putting together the final touches before this week’s World Championships, which are in Shanghai, China, from Wednesday to Sunday and are live on the BBC.

She is part of a 19-strong British team for the first event to count towards qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Although there has been disruption in the build-up after Finucane’s partner Matt Richardson was withdrawn amid reports he is under investigation for misconduct.

At her fifth World Championships, Finucane will ride in the team sprint, individual sprint and keirin.

The 23-year-old, speaking before Richardson’s departure, says she is desperate to regain the world champion’s rainbow stripes after two disappointing silvers last year.

It says a lot about the high bar she has set that two world silvers can even be seen as “disappointing”, but Finucane has a new outlook on that now.

“It’s something I learned last year actually,” she said. “I came fifth or sixth in the sprint competition and I felt I failed.

“It’s how you pick yourself up from that. I went into the keirin and I got second, which is the best keirin result I’ve ever had, so I was able to turn that around.

“Essentially, Worlds is a stepping stone to get to LA. I spoke to Scott (Pollock, her coach) and he said we either go there to win or we learn. I like that approach.

“I don’t fail. I win or learn something about myself.”

The preparation for the next Olympics has already long begun. Earlier this year Finucane and her teammate Sophie Capewell travelled to Los Angeles to get their first taste of the velodrome.

The World Championships might only be a stepping stone to there, but it is a vital one.

And Finucane wants to end them with the rainbow stripes back on her jersey.

Olympic and defending world champions will be competing at the Shanghai Velodrome for the 2026 Track World Championships this week, and you can watch it on the BBC.

There are 22 titles at stake and this is the first track cycling qualifying event for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

The championships, taking place between 14 and 18 October, will see riders compete for the coveted rainbow jerseys in a range of disciplines, with events split between endurance and sprint.

Great Britain finished second in 2025 with the Netherlands taking top spot with nine gold medals. Harrie Lavreysen was once again the dominant force for the Dutch team, winning an incredible four gold medals in the Keirin, Sprint, 1km Time Trial and the Team Sprint.

GB will be without one of their most decorated track cyclists, as reigning Madison world champion Katie Archibald hung up her cleats in May this year to pursue a career in nursing. Olympic team sprint champion Katy Marchant also announced her retirement last month.

They do, however, boast a strong team including eight riders who have won world titles and eight Olympic medallists.