The 31-year-old is racing in her final World Championships as she plans to retire after the London Olympic Games and won her sixth sprint title on day three in dramatic and emotional circumstances.

Two riders progressed from each of the four keirin heats, with the remainder falling into the first-round repechage.

Pendleton finished third behind France's Clara Sanchez and Australia's Kaarle McCulloch before defeating Monique Sullivan of Canada and Russia's Viktoria Baranova in her repechage heat to go through at the second attempt.

Defending champion Anna Meares, beaten by Pendleton in an epic semi-final yesterday, needed no second invitation and advanced by winning the first heat.

Trott sets the pace

Laura Trott led the women's omnium after four events.

The 19-year-old team pursuit world champion and world record holder clocked three minutes 31.789 seconds to place third in the three-kilometre individual pursuit.

Australia's Annette Edmondson, who had held the joint overnight lead with the Briton, was fourth in the discipline to slip one point behind with two events remaining.

Tara Whitten of Canada was third overall, eight points behind Trott.

Thomas misses out

In the non-Olympic 4km men's individual pursuit, Geraint Thomas clocked 4mins 17.265secs.

The Briton was in the first heat and his early advantage lasted until the fifth when New Zealand's Westley Gough clocked 4:17.001.

Rohan Dennis posted 4:16.051 in the penultimate heat to usurp Gough as leader.

Dennis' Australian team-mates Michael Hepburn and Jack Bobridge, the world record holder, then met in the final heat.

Hepburn claimed victory in 4:13.224, with Bobridge clocking 4:14.783 to set up another meeting between the pair later this evening.

Dennis will be targeting victory over Gough in the bronze medal ride-off in order for the hosts to claim a clean sweep of the podium.

Thomas was fifth and is now set to recuperate for tomorrow's Madison, which he is set to ride in partnership with Ben Swift.