Friday, August 22, 2008
BMX Finals Explode At The Beijing Olympics!!!!!
After having a full day rain delay, Friday we awoke to great weather and we are set to crown our first Olympians. The heat was bearable, but warmed up a bit as the morning progressed. The humidity was a touch better and the smog was up once again. After as shortened warm-up for both groups it was down to business of getting two sets of eight riders for the mains. All eyes were on Shanaze Reade. She crashed in one of her two time trials. In her first semi round she crashed in turn one.
The pressure is on. Reade came back with a good 2nd place in round two and won the last semi. Things appeared to be back on track? Reade qualified 3rd behind le Corguille and Kintner. In the first heat of the women’s semis world #2 A.C Chausson controlled things from the first round. A.C headed into the last semi knowing she has qualified for the main no matter what the result. Sarah Walker was the only person to take a win off A.C in the last semi. Sarah qualified 2nd. Ex-World Champ Gabriella Diaz and Sammy Cools also made the cut for the final.
The gate dropped and Reade gets the holeshot. Through turn one A.C Chausson made her move. Reade went too wide and A.C makes the pass. From here Reade was trying her best to regain the lead. Down to the last turn it is Reade and A.C. Reade goes for a crazy move and crashes. A.C wins easily from here. Reade was left high and dry on the last turn wondering what could have been. She had the silver medal and a shot at the gold down the last straight but choked! Le Corguille looked strong all day and cruised through her semi and finished with the silver medal. Jill Kintner was not in contention and back in fourth when Reade crashed in the last turn. This moved Kintner up to a bronze podium spot.
The elite men class was crazy! There were so many crashes it was hard to keep track of everyone. The two standouts are Mike Day and Maris Strombergs. They are on course for showdown in the main. They have conquered everyone they have come up against thus far. They both breeze through their semis. Mike Day took care of things in semi one. Sifiso Nhlapo, Donny Robinson and Andres Jimenez join Mike in the main. The first semi was tough with all three Team USA riders all drawing the same semi. In the second semi Strombergs cleaned sheeted with three wins. Van den Wildenberg, Jared Graves and Damien Godet also advance.
If you thought the semis were good, the main was off the hook. Donny from gate 8 looked solid but is stranded wide. All the action was going down on the inside. Strombergs leads into turn one and Graves leads out of the same turn. Day is in there in about third. Up the second straight Donny Robinson is following Mikey Day. Into turn two Nhlapo and Graves, both on the outside bonk wheels and they both go down. Robinson on the inside gets by and pulls up in third behind Day in second. Strombergs has a big lead. Donny did his best to chase down Day, but this is the way they finished. Strombergs wins the gold, Mike Day the silver and Donny Robinson the bronze.
It was great to see BMX in all its glory and the public received it well. We all look forward to London.