By Elton Tucker, Assistant Sport Editor

Jamaica's football player Venecia Reid runs past a banner at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. - Reuters

rio de janeiro, brazil:

A bitterly disappointed Ricardo Lynch blamed 'lack of focus' after he crashed out of the men's cycling match sprint at the XV Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil yesterday.

Lynch who was highly favoured by his camp to get a medal in the event failed to get past the first round and it left team manager Vaughn Phang searching for words to describe the performance.

"This is not his strongest event but we were looking for him to move up further," Phang said. "His times on a wooden (indoor) track like this are much better and he is one of the highest ranked sprinters here.

"Right now what we have to do is try to get him ready for his next event which is the keirin on Thursday and hopefully everything will work out for him."

Lynch admitted that he was not looking at getting just any medal.

"Actually I was hoping to win this thing," he said. "In the lead up while training in Colorado the times were good and I felt really strong but coming here, I just had a bad day."

Lynch, who had the eleventh fastest qualifying time (11.298 seconds) among the top 12, was drawn against Colombia's Hernan Castillo Sanchez in the first round and he lost easily. The six losers from the first round then competed in the repechage (a ride-off with three cyclists in each group) to decide the last two quarter-finalists and Lynch lost out to Sergio Guatto of Argentina.

Earlier yesterday, taek wondo competitor Kenneth Edwards was outclassed by Venezuela's Carlos Vasquez in the men's under-80kg round of 16. Edwards, a 21-year-old University of Technology business student, was never in the bout and was blanked 5-0. He fell behind early to the wily Venezuelan and in the third of three two-minute rounds Edwards tried repeatedly, without success, to land a high kick in a bid to get the bonus two points fighters get for landing a firm blow to the head.

The Reggae Girlz continued to struggle to find the back of the net in women's football and were held to a 1-1 draw by lowly Uruguay.

Own goal

The Girlz who scored once to beat Ecuador in their opening match and were then blanked 5-0 by Brazil, had to rely on an own goal to earn the draw.

Both teams ended the game with 10 players. Uruguay's Aida Camano was sent off in the 23rd minute while Jamaica's Nicola Bell, a second half substitute, was shown the red card in the 60th minute.

The Reggae Girlz, with four points, will next oppose Canada (six points) tomorrow in a game which could decide one of the semi-finalists. Canada, who had earlier beaten Uruguay 7-0, went on another goal spree yesterday blanking Ecuador 4-0.

Colombia's Hernan Sanchez Castillo (right), races against Jamaica's Ricardo Lynch during the third heat of the men's track cycling sprint finals of the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro yesterday. - AP