Women's Team Sprint - as it happened (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)

6:36pm

This seems like a good time to call it a day. Thanks for reading. We'll be back on Monday with live coverage of Kristian Thomas in the individual vault final.

6:34pm

No right of appeal here so that's that. Lots of confused faces on our TV screens not for the first time today. Looking at the replays it looks like an extremely harsh decision! Stunning end to the competition. 

6:31pm

Woah! China have been relegated to the silver medal position! Same reason as Britain were earlier. Germany are Olympic champions! And they have been informed by BBC reporter Jill Douglas! The Chinese didn't seem to realise. What a shocker for them, there definitely seems to be an issue with disqualification at the velodrome.

6:31pm

Woah! China have been relegated to the silver medal position! Same reason as Britain were earlier. Germany are Olympic champions! And they have been informed by BBC reporter Jill Douglas! The Chinese didn't seem to realise. What a shocker for them, there definitely seems to be an issue with disqualification at the velodrome.

6:25pm

Hold on! The judges are now looking at the CHines changeover in the final. They have committed the same error as the British team.

6:23pm

The time is slower than both recorded earlier by Varnish and Pendleton. Hmmm, what might have been eh? Not the result we wanted but that, I'm afraid, is how cruel sport can be at times.

6:21pm

It's close stuff but China just take it. It's a slower time than their two before but still a well deserved gold.

6:19pm

China v Germany now in the final. But for the disqualification, the club would be going wild about now!

6:18pm

Right. It appears Hugh Porter got it wrong earlier. Australia face Ukraine in the bronze medal match in the women's team sprint....and they win it with ease. Australia were probably favourites for the competition som bronze will be something of a disappointment.

6:14pm

Roars as the British men smash the world record in qualifying for the team sprint final. They will face France in the gold medal match. That has improved the mood somewhat!

5:58pm

Still plenty of people at Halesowen Cycling Club watching the men's team pursuit. Big cheers when the Brits broke the world record in qualifying but still a general mood of deflation. China v Australian in the women's team sprint final coming up soon.

5:37pm

Looking at the incident again, there are millimetres in it. It looks harsh but the rules are the rules. Lots of people here still have a look of disbelief on their face.

5:21pm

It feels like someone has just burst a massive balloon here and Nick Owen isn't looking best pleased either. China and Australia will contest the gold medal race. Varnish and Pendleton can only reflect on what might have been.

5:17pm

More clarification. It appears Pendleton passed Varnish before the end of the first lap. That's illegal. Hence the disqualification and the general disappointment here.

5:15pm

Well. We feared it may be the case when the officials were talking earlier. Victoria Pendleton looks furious. We've just seen the first shots of the incident, it all centres around a zone on the track where the riders must change over at the end of the first lap. The officials are saying GB changed illegally outside the zone.

5:10pm

OH NO! Varnish and Pendleton appear to have been disqualified! Heartbreak at the velodrome. They put in two fantastic rides but breached the rules during the changeover in the first round. "Tragic news" says Porter. Stunned silence here at the club.

5:07pm

Discussions still going on apparently. And now boos ring out...what is going on? No official word still! BBC commentator Hugh Porter is talking about communiqués etc

5:06pm

I appear to have made a mistake with the rules earlier. The final eight was not a straight knockout. Instead the top two times qualify for the final. Third and fourth for the bronze medal. So Varnish and Pendleton are guaranteed silver should the officials rules in their favour.

5:02pm

They just flashed up a graphic on the screen saying the gold medal match will be between China and Australia. That would suggest GB and Germany, who finished with the second and third fastest times respectively, have been disqualified. But still no official word and the TV commentators seem as unsure as anyone.

5:00pm

A lot of discussion so far and Chris Boardman is saying Varnish and Pendleton may be disqualified. Lot of tension here at the club but we have no official word. Confusion reigns!

4:58pm

The issue seems to be the changeover at the end of the first lap. China are currently on track and have set a time of 34.422 - another world record! Varnish and Pendleton have the next fastest time and should be through to the final.....subsequent to what the officials decide.

4:56pm

Hmmmm....the officials seem to be having a bit of discussion here and it may not be good news. We are seeing shots of British Cycling chief Dave Brailsford and he does not look happy.

4:54pm

Right, here come Varnish and Pendleton again....they are in a heat with the Ukraine....first lap is 18.954 from Varnish and Pendleton storms round for a final time of 32.567. They beat the Ukraine by more than a second. Lovely stuff.

4:48pm

Australia up next against the Netherlands...and Meares and McCulloch take it and are through to the semi finals.

4:45pm

Well that was well worth a re run. GB men hammer the Germans by seven tenths of a second. Olympic record and they qualify quickest. Club goes wild. Women back up next.

4:39pm

Disaster for GB men as lead rider Philip Hindes falls on the first bend of their heat with Germany. It will be a re-run but not the start they wanted. seems to be a problem with the bike.

4:36pm

GB Men up next in the team sprint.

4:35pm

Olympic record's being broken all over the place here in the men's sprint. This is a very fast track.

4:34pm

It's worth pointing out the structure of the team sprint competition has changed slightly for the Olympics. There's a couple of extra rounds so fatigue more of a factor than normal.

4:27pm

Nick Owen, one time couch-sharer with Anne Diamond and Midland media personality, is in the building.

4:25pm

Have to say, the club is absolutely packed now. Standing room only. Midlands Today have arrived and will be broadcasting their 6.30pm bulletin from here! Radio also in attendance.

4:22pm

Qualifying for the men's team sprint on now. Time for everyone in the club- and me - to take a breather!

4:18pm

The Chinese pair of Jinjie Gong and Shaung Guo qualify quickest. I said you couldn't rule them out! Jess and Vicky second with Germany third and Australia fourth. The top eight sides are through to the next round and from now it's a straight knockout.

4:15pm

Incredible stuff from Varnish and particularly Pendleton who put in a stunning second lap but hold it! China have just broken GB's new WR in the next heat, beating Germany. The record lasted just three minutes!

4:12pm

Big roar in the velodrome and big roar here as Varnish appears on screen. Varnish almost runs to her bike....she can't wait to start...first lap for Varnish is 18.797 and Pendleton buries the second lap and it's 32.526...a new world record....what a start!

4:08pm

Netherlands beat France in heat three with the quickest time so far. It's GB v Australia. Varnish v Pendleton next.

4:06pm

As soon as I type that the coverage is on. Colombia v Ukraine in the second heat. Olympic record for Ukraine but that means little as it's the first time the women's team sprint has ever featured at an Olympics.

4:04pm

Tvs are currently showing the judo. All the conversation here is cycling. Atmosphere will be one of anticipation....

4:01pm

General mood here at the club is that the Australians are going to be very tough to beat. But if anyone can, it will be Jess and Vicky....we shall see.

3:45pm

Varnish and Pendleton have been paired against McCulloch and Meares in the fourth heat. But at this stage it's the times which are all important. More and more people are arriving here at the club. It promises to be a fantastic afternoon.

3:36pm

Varnish will of course be riding with British Olympic legend Victoria Pendleton and their main rivals to gold are expected to be Australian duo Anna Meares and Kaarle McCulloch, along with German world champions Kristina Vogel and Miriam Welte. But you can't rule out the Chinese either. It promises to be a fascinating afternoon and a huge one for Varnish, who could become Britain's latest superstar.

3:31pm

Good afternoon. Well, what a treat we have for us here, as Halesowen's track cycling queen Jess Varnish goes for gold in the women's team sprint. Qualifying starts at 4pm, with the final expected around 6pm and the competition should be intense. We're down at Halesowen Cycling Club, where Varnish learnt her trade and a big crowd is expected to roar her on.