The 31-year-old Pendleton - aiming to finish her career on a high with a third Olympic gold - thought she had won the first contest, but she strayed from the sprinting lane under supreme pressure from the physical Meares and commissaires awarded the Australian victory.
Meares powered to victory in the second encounter to secure gold, while China's Guo Shuang won bronze with a 2-0 defeat of Kristina Vogel of Germany.
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