Sprint, Women

The defending gold medalist was Erika Salumäe, now representing her native Estonia. She had also won the 1989 World Championship, but the 1990 title went to Seoul bronze medalist Connie Paraskevin-Young, while Ingrid Haringa (NED) won the 1991 title. Haring led the qualifying in Barcelona with Paraskevin-Young and Salumäe barely getting thru as they placed sixth and seventh, respectively. The qualifying was rather senseless, serving to eliminate only two of the 12 starters. Paraskevin-Young could not get past the first round repêchage, losing to German Annett Neumann, having been disqualified in the first round for interference. Haringa and Salumäe did reach the quarters, with Haringa easily advancing to the semi-finals. Salumäe had more difficulty, needing three races in the quarters to defeat ersatz Soviet Galina Yenyukhina. But in the semis, Haringa was upset by Neumann, while Salumäe defeated France’s Félicia Ballanger. Neumann won the first race of the final, but Salumäe came back to win two straight and defend her gold medal. It was the first gold medal for Estonia since 1936, when they had last competed as an independent nation. The victory ceremony and Estonian celebration was dampened somewhat when the Estonian flag was hung upside-down. Salumäe was undisturbed, saying the officials would get it right the next time.