Defensive BMX gold medalist Connor Fields is out in a crash.


TOKYO – There can be terrible randomness in a BMX race, even at the Olympics. No matter how well a cyclist rides, a crash, a bump, or even a minor slip can kill his chances of winning a medal.

Defending the gold medal, USA’s Connor Fields was in an excellent position after finishing third and first in the first two semi-finals series. But on lap three, again near the lead, the front driver swerved and the tricycle crashed into the ground in a nasty accident.

Medical personnel intervened in Fields for several minutes before being carried off the track on a stretcher and taken to the hospital. A US Olympic official said Fields was “vigilant and awaiting further medical evaluation”. Even though he didn’t finish qualifying, he would have had enough points to compete in the final had he been eligible.

The men’s winner was world champion Niek Kimmann of the Netherlands in 2015, and a disappointing seventh place at the Rio Games a year later. Kimmann made headlines this week bump into an official wandering the course during a training run.

“I’ve felt in my best shape ever in the last weeks,” Kimmann said. “Of course there was a lot of pressure, but I was confident. Then I bumped into that official and felt like my dream was over. But luckily, with the painkillers, that dream was still living.”

On the women’s side, Britain’s Bethany Shriever managed to break through randomness, winning all three knockout rounds and then the final. As he completed his 44-second run, his countryman Kye Whyte, who had just won silver in the men’s race, gave him a loud applause, then put his hands on his face in disbelief and hugged him like a bear.

Not even a predicted finalist, Shriever turned to crowdfunding from British sports authorities to support his career in 2019. focus their finances on male BMX riders because the results were better.

“I kept my cool today, kept it simple, and it worked,” he said.

Accidents in both the women’s first and third women’s qualifiers dashed the hopes of last silver medalist Alise Willoughby of the USA; His third place in the second elimination was in vain.

Races were postponed for 45 minutes due to the heavy rain wetting the track. A dozen workers boldly used industrial blow dryers and squeegees to absorb some of the moisture. But drivers said they didn’t think the wetness contributed to the crashes.





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