BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Following are the factbox on women's cycling sprint at the August 8-24 Beijing Olympic Games:

    Introduction:

    Riders will complete a 200m-time trial to determine the 12 qualifiers who will advance to the next phase. The 1/8th are contested head to head with the winners advancing to the next phase and losers going to the repechages. From the quarterfinals, two-up matches over two heats (and a third deciding heat if necessary) will take place.

    Quarterfinal winners will continue to the semi-finals and losers will ride a four-up sprint for places 5-8. The two winners of the semi-finals will compete for the first and second place and the two losers of the semifinals for the third and fourth.

    Records:

    World record: 10.831 seconds, Olga Slyusareva, Russia, in Moscow of Russia, on April 15th, 1993

    Olympic record: 11.212, Michelle Ferris, Australia, in Atlanta of United States, on July 24th 1996

    2004 champion: Lori Ann Muenzer, Canada