Houvenaghel fastest in qualifying

Houvenaghel set a new personal best and British record

County Londonderry cyclist Wendy Houvenaghel stormed into the last eight of the women's individual pursuit in Beijing as fastest qualifier.

The 33-year-old cut over three seconds off her personal best as she clocked a time of 3:28.443 which improved Rebecca Romero's British record.

This year's world champion Romero was second fastest qualifier - .20secs behind her British team-mate.

The two fastest riders in Saturday's round will progress to Sunday's final.

Both Britons were more than three seconds faster that third qualifier Ukraine's Lesya Kalitovska on Friday so an all-British final is in prospect.

Houvenaghel will face eighth qualifier Lada Kozlikova of the Czech Republic in Saturday's last eight.

Kozlikova's time was more than 11 seconds outside Houvenaghel's mark in Friday's qualifying round.

Houvenaghel produced a powerhouse performance in her heat to finish more than seven seconds faster than the United States' twice world champion Sarah Hammer.

The 33-year-old Northern Ireland woman only started cycling in 2002.

Prior to heading to Bejing, Houvenaghel told BBC Sport that the winning the gold medal would be "very much achieveable".

Judging by her performance on Friday, Houvenaghel's confidence appears to be well founded.

Romero is aiming to become the first British woman to win a medal in two summer Olympic sports after taking a rowing silver in the quadruple sculls in Athens.