Olympics-Cycling-Winning gold would have been super disappointing, says sporting Leitao

Paris 2024 Olympics - Track Cycling - Men's Omnium, Points Race 4/4 - Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Velodrome, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France - August 08, 2024. Iuri Leitao of Portugal celebrates after winning silver. REUTERS/Matthew Childs

SAINT QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France (Reuters) - A gold medal narrowly eluded Portugal's Iuri Leitao in the track cycling omnium on Thursday but if they were handed out for sportsmanship, he would surely be top of the podium.

He was involved in a thrilling battle with Frenchman Benjamin Thomas in the decisive points race when leader Thomas lost control and crashed heavily on the wooden boards.