Emily Batty takes home bronze at mountain bike world championships

Canadian Emily Batty won a bronze medal at the mountain bike world championships in the Czech Republic on Saturday, gaining a medal after a close call at the finish line. 

Batty took advantage when Maja Wloszczowska, of Poland, who was in second place heading into the final moments of the race, needed a tire changed. The misstep allowed Lea Davison of the United States to overtake second place and Batty to move into third. 

The 2015 Pan Am Games champ finished with a time of one hour, 31 minutes and 57 seconds edging out Wloszczowska in a photo finish for bronze.

"Coming into the last 300 or 400 metres I saw Maja [Wloszczowska] in the pit with a rear flat," said Batty. "I knew I had to leave it all out there, because this is a bronze medal. Maja was able to bridge back up and I knew she was behind me, and getting a draft. But I was running a bigger gear selection than usual, so I was able to lead the sprint out and still win by a few inches. I'm ecstatic, I can't even describe what this feels like."

Annika Langvad of Denmark took home gold with a time of 1:30:13, just under two minutes ahead of Batty. Davison held on to the silver medal.

Catherine Pendral of Fredericton, N.B., gave Canada two top-five finishes in the women's elite event, as she finished fifth with a time of 1:33:06.