BMX stages perfect debut at Beijing Olympics
22/8/2008 17:37
The Laoshan BMX field today witnessed a fabulous debut of the sport at the
Olympics Games with roller-coaster processes and dramatic results, despite a
one-day postponement due to heavy rain yesterday.
Anne-Caroline Chausson of
France, who used to be a mountain biker, claimed the first-ever women's bicycle
moto cross (BMX) Olympic gold with the fastest time of 35.976 seconds in the
event's final at the Beijing Games.
After crossing the finish line, Chausson
jumped off her bike in a rush and yelled.
"I wanted to dedicate this medal to
my dad. He passed away last year. I'm sad he could not be in Beijing today, but
this medal is for him," said the French cyclist, the most senior female rider at
the tournament.
"I am happy to win the first gold of this sport, because I
came from a mountain biker. Now I am an Olympic champion," added the
31-year-old, who has already considered retirement after these Games.
Her
compatriot Laetitia Le Corguille took the silver at 38.042 seconds, while the
bronze medal went to Jill Kintner of the United States at 38.674.
Defending
world champion, also the Games' favorite Shanaze Reade of Britain, who had a
heavy crash in the first run in the semifinal, suffered the same misfortune in
the final and did not finish the race.
"I put everything into this and I
couldn't have done any more," said the disappointed British.
Chinese Ma
Liyun, the host's solo contender who competed in her first Olympics with a wild
card, only finished 7th in the first heat of the semifinals.
In the men's BMX
final, Maris Strombergs, reigning world champion from Latvia, clinched the gold,
dashing the hope of the United States to pocket all medals in the
event.
Strombergs took the lead in the final from the very beginning, and
finished the run at 36.190 seconds, leaving Mike Day and Donny Robinson of the
United States far behind at 36.606 and 36.972 respectively.
He was the
fastest in the three runs that made up the semifinals to secure the preferred
inside gate start position, and notched Latvia's second gold medal at the
Beijing Olympic Games.
The Latvian cyclist won the title of the 2008 BMX
world championships held in Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province,
in last May. He is leading a new generation of European riders to challenge the
established US squad.
"It doesn't matter if it is the Olympics, the world
championships or the European championships, the feeling is the same. I see no
difference between my competitors, whether they come from the United States or
New Zealand," said Strombergs, adding that he had kept cool and concentrated for
the whole race.
The 21-year-old has been riding BMX for 16 years, and is
regarded as a veteran of the sport despite his age.
"I'm still young. I have
plans for the future, and I have a lot more to accomplish," he said. "This
Olympic gold is only one step in my career."
Commenting on the BMX's entry to
the Olympic Games as an extreme sport, bronze medalist Robinson, who tops the
International Cycling Union's BMX ranking for men's individuals, said it was
exactly what needed to happen.
"It can bring more kids and viewers of the
Olympics to the sport," said the 1.65-meter-tall cyclist of compact build. "The
sport is pretty awesome, and we could work as role models for kids."
The
International Olympic Committee decided on June 29, 2003 to introduce BMX at the
2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The sport, which rooted in the late 1960s in
southern California, has brought a wild flair packed with youthful energy and
colorful characters to the Games.
Xinhua
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