Edmondson rapt with omnium bronze

On the same day that one Australian track cyclist crowned her outstanding career, another confirmed herself as a future star.

Minutes before Anna Meares won the sprint gold medal, 20-year-old Annette Edmondson scored bronze in the omnium.

Edmondson scored 24 points in the new Olympic event to finish well clear of fourth-placed Canadian Tara Whitten on 34.

British world champion Laura Trott snatched the gold medal from American Sarah Hammer by one point, 18 to 19.

Edmondson's bronze came three days after she was part of the team pursuit squad that just missed out on the podium.

She admits her medal came earlier than she expected.

"Not at this Olympics - I was thinking Rio would be more realistic," he said.

"But I'm over the moon.

"To be honest, I came in wanting gold, but after I stuffed up in the points race (on Monday), I was just hoping to do my best and come away with something.

"An Olympic medal is an Olympic medal and I'm never, ever going to forget this moment."

One of the most important aspects of these Games for Edmondson will be the experience of dealing with such an intense atmosphere at the velodrome.

"This velodrome has been electric, the whole competition - especially with the low-level roof, it just amplifies the sound," she said.

"It's something I've never heard before, after each race I'd pretty-much run for my noise-cancelling headphones and my earplugs, it would vibrate right through my ears.