Canadian cyclists ride off with medals

 STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. (CP) -- Brian Walton began chasing his Olympic dream 20 years ago in Halifax after laying eyes on two bronze medals won by swimmer Nancy Garapick at the 1976 Montreal Games.
 On Sunday, Walton 30, now of North Delta, B.C., realized that dream when he surged to a surprising silver medal in the Olympic cycling points race.
 Less than an hour later, Canadian cycling veteran Curt Harnett, 31, claimed bronze in the men's sprint event.
 It was a doubly sweet day for Walton, who two months ago had arthroscopic knee surgery and was removed from the Canadian road-racing team in favor of another rider.
 "I can't believe this, I dug deeper that I ever have before," said the slight Walton, his shiny silver medal dangling from his neck after an emotional embrace with Harnett. "I can't believe I have a silver medal after everything I went through the last year."
 The points race covers 40 kilometres with sprints for points on designated laps, usually every five kilometres. The rider who accumulates the most points and isn't lapped by other competitors is the winner.
 "In my wildest dreams, yes, I could (imagine winning medal)," said a teary-eyed Walton, who lived on the same street as the Garapick family for two years. "I was friends with Nancy's brother and she showed me her two bronze medals and I've dreamed about (Olympics) since then."
 Italian Silvio Martinello won the gold medal with 37 points, eight more than Walton. Australian Stuart O'Grady of Australia captured the bronze medal with 25.
 "I wasn't the strongest guy out there today but I rode it the hardest," said Walton, who made a daring move midway through the race to get back on the lead lap. "During that lap solo I was dying."
 Walton had fallen behind but broke out on his own away from the pack and powered his way back among the leaders.
 "In regards to Brian's ride, it's one of the most inspiriational moments I've ever seen," said the flamboyant Harnett, famous for his long flowing blonde locks and thighs like tree trunks. "I was sitting in my pit trying to concentrate on what I was doing and I was getting updates from my coach.
 "Brian weighs 150 pounds and I'm pretty convinced about 145 pounds of that was heart today. I've seen a lot of bike racing in my time and that was unbelieveable."
 Harnett, of Thunder Bay, Ont., swept Australian Gary Niewand in the best-of-three series to secure the medal.
 Harnett, 31, captured the first race in a photo finish. After winning the bronze medal, Harnett announced his retirement.
 "I'm retiring from international competition and it was nice to go out with a bang," he said, adding he hoped the success at the track would bring the money and support Canadian cycling needs to compete with the rest of the world.
 "I'm very proud of what I've done, I've made some great friends, been some great places ... it's a tremendous honor to have represented my country for 14 years.
 "As I've joked many times, it's time to get a haircut and get a real job. I din't achieve my dream of a gold medal, but I'm pretty damn proud of the bronze."
 Harnett was third in the sprint at the '92 Games in Barcelona and earned a silver medal in the time-trial race at the '84 Olympics in Los Angeles.
 German Jens Fiedler won the gold medal Sunday, defeating American Marty Nothstein.
 Mirek Mazur, Walton's coach, said after his wedding and birth of his son, Walton's medal win was the happiest day of his life.
 "Everybody thought there was no way to recover in six weeks and win a medal," said Mazur. "Personally I was hoping for top 10 myself.
 "He unlapped himself and he went by himself and that was heroic, usually nobody takes chances like that to make a move on your own. I thought he would be very tired and unable to recover, but since he has such a big heart -- which makes him such a great rider -- to go in and make one more move and get extra points and get a medal."