Great Britain's Olympic team is celebrating triple golden glory after Victoria Pendleton became queen of the velodrome, its cyclists smashed a world record and rower Katherine Grainger finally realised her Olympic dream.
Pendleton made up for the bitter disappointment of being relegated from the team sprint and produced a storming finish to take the gold medal in the women's keirin.
And with cycling hero Bradley Wiggins looking on, the men's team pursuit squad added gold with an emphatic performance which shattered the world record leaving rivals Australia trailing in their wake.
Pendleton said: "I can barely believe it. The crowd have been fantastic - they really helped me tonight."
The three golds pushed Team GB to third in the medals table with 21 - eight gold, six silver and seven bronze. At the same point in the hugely-successful Beijing Games Britain had won just eight medals.
The atmosphere in the Velodrome was electric as Ed Clancy, Geraint Thomas, Peter Kennaugh and Steven Burke stormed to victory.
Thomas told the BBC: "The crowd is unbelievable. My ears are ringing. It's too loud."
After three consecutive silver medals Grainger had feared she would always be the bridesmaid at the Games, but she put those days behind her as she stormed to victory with her double sculls partner, Anna Watkins.
Grainger, 36, raised her arms to the heavens as she crossed the line and bowed to a packed stand. She told the BBC that, unlike in Beijing, she would now be crying tears of joy.
"It was worth the wait," she said, adding: "I feel this medal, of all of them, is the people's medal. I feel so many people have been behind me and supported me and wanted this for me as much as I have."
UK 
