Strombergs and Reade To Face BMX Gold Bandits
by Justin Davis
BEIJING, Aug 19, 2008 (AFP) - Latvia’s Maris Strombergs goes into the Olympic Games’ first ever BMX competition looking to fight his way to an historic first gold on Wednesday.
However the European champion knows that he will be one of the most targeted riders on a course that is set to produce thrills, spills and perhaps one or two upsets.
“I feel a little pressure. I just try not to think about it,” said Strombergs, who admits the chance to make Olympic BMX history on the sport’s first appearance at the Games will add to the drama.
“The gold is everyone’s goal because whoever wins it is going to be a star.”
While in the women’s category 19-year-old Shanaze Reade of Britain, a two-time defending world champion, starts as the big favourite the men’s competition looks a lot more open.
Kyle Bennett, nicknamed “Butter”, spearheads a strong American team and comes into the competition having fully recovered from injury at the end of 2006.
The three-time world champion could face the biggest challenge from teammates Mike Day and Danny Robinson - two of the world circuit’s most consistent performers.
But Bennett hopes his riding style will come to the fore on a twisting, descending course loaded with technical jumps, banked turns and other obstacles designed to push athletes to the maximum in a test of speed, agility and endurance.
“My riding style is smoother. That’s why they call me ‘Butter’,” Bennett said. “If I’m going to pass it’s going to be clean. Some guys are not scared to hit you or cut you off going into a curve.”
Two-time world champion Thomas Allier of France and Dutchman Robert de Wilde Czech racer are among the veterans aiming to show they have lost none of their skills.
At the other end, South Africa’s Sifiso Nhlapo, who only began racing eight years ago, said he is “pumped” to represent his country at sport’s biggest competition.
“I am just so pumped to be part of BMX at this stage of the sport,” said Nhlapo, who won a world championship bronze medal in May to qualify for the Games only three weeks after a serious crash.
“I have just started to bring everything together and get a lot better.”
Reade meanwhile will be the woman to beat in the women’s competition.
“I mean, she has won everything,” said France’s Anne-Caroline Chausson, a former star in the non-Olympic event of mountain bike downhill who began her career in BMX.
New Zealand’s Sarah Walker, a recent world championship silver medallist, admits Reade will be hard to beat.
But for her, doing the best she can will be enough.
“All I can do is ride my bike, have fun and do the best I can,” said Walker.
“If that means a medal, then that would be perfect, but if not I know that I will have tried my best and that’s all I can ask.”
Thirty-two men and 16 women will begin the seeding runs which give entry to the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
The semis and finals, where the historic BMX golds will be awarded, are held Thursday.
Photo by: CorVos Pro
Categories: Beijing Olympics
Tags:
Leave a Reply