") no-repeat center center;background-size:10px 16px;content:' '}@media(min-width:768px){.egqDdf::before{display:none}}.hzcAyL{min-height:389px;margin-bottom:16px;clear:both}@media(min-width:1000px){.hzcAyL{min-height:380px}}.fGzMFb{width:100%;box-sizing:border-box}@media(min-width:768px){.fGzMFb{max-width:634px}}@media(min-width:1250px){.fGzMFb{max-width:622px}}.hHATii{display:flex;width:auto;box-sizing:border-box;align-items:center;justify-content:flex-start;gap:4px;color:#ec1a2e;color:light-dark(#ec1a2e,#ec1a2e)}.frlkrE{display:block;font:bold 14px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;text-decoration-line:underline;margin-block:0;text-align:center}.gFogGN{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:4px}.gFogGN:hover .sc-aja53j-2,.gFogGN:hover .sc-a5wy94-0{color:#ac2a2c;color:light-dark(#ac2a2c,#f58992)}.cDGSNR{font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}.eSVQSf{display:flex;position:relative;overflow:hidden;width:auto;height:40px;flex-direction:column;order:-1;gap:8px;opacity:1;transition:all .5s ease-in-out;transition-behavior:allow-discrete}.eSVQSf::after{--fade-from:rgba(255,255,255,0);--fade-mid:rgba(255,255,255,0.5);--fade-to:#fff;position:absolute;bottom:0;left:0;z-index:1;width:100%;height:40px;background-image:linear-gradient(to bottom,var(--fade-from) 0,var(--fade-mid) 50%,var(--fade-to) 100%);content:'';opacity:1;pointer-events:none;transition:opacity 150ms ease-out}@supports(color:light-dark(red,red)){.eSVQSf::after{--fade-from:light-dark(rgba(255,255,255,0),rgba(0,0,0,0))}}@supports(color:light-dark(red,red)){.eSVQSf::after{--fade-mid:light-dark(rgba(255,255,255,0.5),rgba(0,0,0,0.5))}}@supports(color:light-dark(red,red)){.eSVQSf::after{--fade-to:light-dark(#fff,#000)}}@media(min-width:768px){.fiXggt{order:-1}}@media(min-width:768px){.jikgMc{display:flex;position:relative;align-items:flex-start;margin-top:12px}}@media(min-width:1000px){.iZGsHB .taboola{display:none}}.iZGsHB:has(#taboola-carousel-thumbnails){min-height:426px}.iZGsHB:has(#taboola-mid-article-thumbnails-crime){min-height:405px}@media(min-width:1000px){.iZGsHB:has(#taboola-carousel-thumbnails),.iZGsHB:has(#taboola-mid-article-thumbnails-crime){min-height:0}}.fLVhoJ .tp-container-inner,.fLVhoJ .sc-1suqprf-0{position:relative;box-shadow:0 -22px 16px 22px rgba(255,255,255,0.95);box-shadow:0 -22px 16px 22px light-dark(rgba(255,255,255,0.95),rgba(0,0,0,0.95))}.fLVhoJ.closed{display:none}.LyMAA{width:32px}.LyMAA,.LyMAA:focus{color:#3b5998;color:light-dark(#3b5998,#627aac)}.LyMAA:hover,.LyMAA:active,.LyMAA:focus-visible{color:#2f4779;color:light-dark(#2f4779,#9cabcb)}@media(min-width:768px){.LyMAA.mobile-only{display:none}}.dwVQBR{width:32px}.dwVQBR,.dwVQBR:focus{color:#000;color:light-dark(#000,#4e4e4e)}.dwVQBR:hover,.dwVQBR:active,.dwVQBR:focus-visible{color:#4e4e4e;color:light-dark(#4e4e4e,#919191)}@media(min-width:768px){.dwVQBR.mobile-only{display:none}}.dxQkdZ{width:32px}.dxQkdZ,.dxQkdZ:focus{color:#25d366;color:light-dark(#25d366,#25d366)}.dxQkdZ:hover,.dxQkdZ:active,.dxQkdZ:focus-visible{color:#1da851;color:light-dark(#1da851,#1da851)}@media(min-width:768px){.dxQkdZ.mobile-only{display:none}}.fKhHgh{width:32px}.fKhHgh,.fKhHgh:focus{color:#ec1a2e;color:light-dark(#ec1a2e,#ec1a2e)}.fKhHgh:hover,.fKhHgh:active,.fKhHgh:focus-visible{color:#ac2a2c;color:light-dark(#ac2a2c,#ac2a2c)}@media(min-width:768px){.fKhHgh.mobile-only{display:none}}.fMVKDn{display:flex;gap:12px}.kHbRaW .sc-17yxc4y-0{display:none}.kHbRaW:hover .sc-17yxc4y-0,.kHbRaW.bookmark-button-saved .sc-17yxc4y-0{display:block}.kHbRaW:hover .sc-17yxc4y-1,.kHbRaW.bookmark-button-saved .sc-17yxc4y-1{display:none}.kHbRaW.bookmark-button-saved .sc-17yxc4y-0{display:block}.kHbRaW.bookmark-button-saved .sc-17yxc4y-1{display:none}.kHbRaW.bookmark-button-saved:hover .sc-17yxc4y-0{display:none}.kHbRaW.bookmark-button-saved:hover .sc-17yxc4y-1{display:block}.eoiTHI{display:inline-block;width:32px;height:32px;color:#337e81;color:light-dark(#337e81,#337e81)}.gsHIni{display:flex;flex-direction:row;justify-content:center;gap:12px}.jTEZjg{display:flex;position:relative;justify-content:center}@media(min-width:768px){.jTEZjg{justify-content:flex-end;padding-top:12px;margin:0}}.laxBOB{display:flex}.sticky .laxBOB{flex-direction:column}.hDXmfN{overflow:hidden;height:23px;margin-bottom:8px;border-bottom:0;clear:both}@media(min-width:768px){.hDXmfN{height:25px}}.jGyHqZ{display:inline-block;flex-shrink:0;margin:0 12px 0 0;font:bold 14px/normal 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}.jGyHqZ::after{content:':'}.bsdbXr{display:inline-block;margin-right:12px;margin-bottom:4px;color:#222;color:light-dark(#222,#fff);font:normal 14px/1.29 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;text-decoration:underline}.bsdbXr::first-letter {text-transform:capitalize}@media(min-width:1000px){.subscribed .eWQiqu{margin-top:-184px}.article-feature:not(.article-feature-video) .subscribed .eWQiqu{margin-top:-407px}}.eWQiqu>p{margin:16px 0}.article-premium .eWQiqu>p{line-height:27px}.eWQiqu>h2{font-size:21px}.article-climate .eWQiqu>h2{color:#ec1a2e;color:light-dark(#ec1a2e,#ec1a2e)}.article-sgi .eWQiqu>h2{color:#ec1a2e;color:light-dark(#ec1a2e,#ec1a2e)}.eWQiqu>p:first-child{margin-top:0}.eWQiqu span:first-child~p:first-of-type{margin-top:0}.gCqUwG{display:flex;position:relative;max-width:100%;min-height:600px;justify-content:center;margin:0 auto;background-color:transparent;clear:both}@media(min-width:1000px){.gCqUwG{min-height:450px}}.teads .gCqUwG{display:block}.gCqUwG [data-mpu]{position:sticky;top:16px}@media(min-width:1000px){.jcsUho{display:none}}.jcsUho[data-mpu1]{min-height:600px}.jcsUho.pb-20{padding-bottom:20px}.cGmNxG{overflow:hidden;width:100%;box-sizing:border-box;margin-bottom:16px}@media(min-width:768px){.cGmNxG{max-width:634px}}@media(min-width:1250px){.cGmNxG{max-width:622px}}.iqSitv{width:100%;box-sizing:border-box;padding:8px 12px 12px;border-top:8px solid #ec1a2e;border-top:8px solid light-dark(#ec1a2e,#ec1a2e);background-color:#fde8ea;background-color:light-dark(#fde8ea,#66000a)}@media(min-width:768px){.iqSitv{padding-top:4px;padding-bottom:12px}}.dlmCG{font:bold 22px/26px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;margin:0 0 12px;text-align:center}@media(min-width:768px){.dlmCG{font:bold 30px/34px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;letter-spacing:-0.048px;margin-bottom:12px;text-align:left}}.JMagJ{display:block;margin-bottom:12px}@media(min-width:768px){.JMagJ{display:none}}.eRfgdl{display:flex;width:100%;box-sizing:border-box;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:4px;background-color:#fde8ea;background-color:light-dark(#fde8ea,#66000a);color:#ec1a2e;color:light-dark(#ec1a2e,#ec1a2e)}@media(min-width:768px){.eRfgdl{width:auto;justify-content:flex-start}}.icmspM{display:block;font:bold 14px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;text-decoration-line:underline;margin-block:0;text-align:center}.jEzKon{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:4px}.jEzKon:hover .sc-hez36s-5,.jEzKon:hover .sc-a5wy94-0{color:#ac2a2c;color:light-dark(#ac2a2c,#f58992)}.kxbAkl{font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}.igdyzJ{display:flex;width:100%;flex-direction:column}@media(min-width:768px){.igdyzJ{display:flow-root;gap:24px;transition:margin-bottom .3s ease-in-out}}.jDeUSg{display:flex;width:100%;flex-direction:column;align-items:center;justify-content:center}@media(min-width:768px){.jDeUSg{position:relative;z-index:1;width:212px;flex-shrink:0;justify-content:flex-start;margin-left:24px;float:right}}.bBLSBr{display:none;flex-direction:row;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:8px;margin-top:8px}@media(min-width:768px){.bBLSBr{display:flex;margin-top:12px}}.DIgLQ{display:flex;width:100%;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:8px;margin-top:8px;margin-bottom:12px}@media(min-width:768px){.DIgLQ{display:none}}@media(min-width:768px){.cPkZJS{order:-1}}.fJelbS .sc-aja53j-5::after{--fade-from:rgba(253,232,234,0);--fade-mid:rgba(253,232,234,0.5);--fade-to:#fde8ea}@media(min-width:360px){.fJelbS .sc-aja53j-5 .sc-aja53j-7{display:none}}@supports(color:light-dark(red,red)){.fJelbS .sc-aja53j-5::after{--fade-from:light-dark(rgba(253,232,234,0),rgba(102,0,10,0))}}@supports(color:light-dark(red,red)){.fJelbS .sc-aja53j-5::after{--fade-mid:light-dark(rgba(253,232,234,0.5),rgba(102,0,10,0.5))}}@supports(color:light-dark(red,red)){.fJelbS .sc-aja53j-5::after{--fade-to:light-dark(#fde8ea,#66000a)}}.kGYWZt{margin:0 0 24px;font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}.eXohla{font:bold 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}.bXaOEb{display:flex;min-height:600px;justify-content:center}@media(min-width:1000px){.bXaOEb{min-height:450px}}.dlrgtE{min-height:600px}@media(min-width:1000px){.dlrgtE{min-height:450px}}.dlrgtE.mobile-only{display:block}@media(min-width:1000px){.dlrgtE.mobile-only{display:none}}.dlrgtE.desktop-only{display:none}@media(min-width:1000px){.dlrgtE.desktop-only{display:block;margin-bottom:16px}}.dlrgtE.desktop-only+p{margin-top:0}.dlrgtE .third-party-ad{position:sticky;top:16px}.fhuRbW{width:100%;flex-grow:1}.fhuRbW .social-share{width:100%;padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:20px}@media(min-width:768px){.fhuRbW .social-share{justify-content:flex-start}}.fhuRbW .social-share.sticky{display:none}@media(min-width:1000px){.fhuRbW .social-share.sticky{display:flex;position:sticky;top:14px;width:34px;flex-direction:column;padding-top:0;margin-top:0;margin-left:-25%}.fhuRbW .social-share.sticky .sc-mgcah7-0{margin:0 0 16px}.article-feature-video .fhuRbW .social-share.sticky{margin-top:0}.article-feature:not(.article-feature-video) .fhuRbW .social-share.sticky{margin-top:35%}}.fhuRbW.sponsored-article img,.fhuRbW.sponsored-article video{width:100%;max-width:602px;height:auto}.fhuRbW.sponsored-article iframe{max-width:602px;max-height:400px}.fhuRbW .under-article-prompt-donations{padding-bottom:8px;margin-top:-3px}.fhuRbW .big-letter{--color:#222;display:flex;position:relative;width:0;height:0;align-items:center;justify-content:center;padding:40px;margin-top:22px;margin-right:12px;border:1px solid var(--color);float:left;font:normal 52px/1 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;text-transform:uppercase}.fhuRbW .big-letter:first-child{margin-top:6px}.fhuRbW .big-letter::before{position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid var(--color);border-radius:50%;content:''}.fhuRbW #taboola-below-article-1{min-height:2350px}@media(min-width:768px){.fhuRbW #taboola-below-article-1{min-height:3370px}}.fhuRbW #taboola-below-article-1-split-num-1{min-height:130px}@media(min-width:768px){.fhuRbW #taboola-below-article-1-split-num-1{min-height:415px}}.fhuRbW .sc-fwko30-0+.sc-1xtsh2b-0{margin-top:-16px}@media(min-width:768px){.fhuRbW{max-width:636px;margin:0}}@media(min-width:1000px){.fhuRbW{max-width:624px;margin:0}.fhuRbW.subscribed{max-width:636px}}@media(max-width:999px){.fhuRbW{padding-right:0}.fhuRbW .under-article-prompt-donations{margin-top:-18px}}.fhuRbW .anchor-nav-header{scroll-margin-top:79px}.fhuRbW .anchor-nav-header a{color:#222;color:light-dark(#222,#fff)}.fhuRbW .anchor-nav-header a:hover{color:#222;color:light-dark(#222,#fff)}@supports(color:light-dark(red,red)){.fhuRbW .big-letter{--color:light-dark(#222,#fff)}}.enFqNy{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;justify-content:flex-start;margin-bottom:8px;color:#646464;color:light-dark(#646464,#bdbdbd);font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}@media(min-width:768px){.enFqNy{width:70%;align-items:center;justify-content:flex-start;margin-bottom:0;font:normal 16px/24px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}}@media(min-width:1000px){.enFqNy{width:70%;margin-bottom:0}}.hWBwna{display:flex;height:20px;margin:0 12px 8px 0}.article-voices .hWBwna{height:auto}@media(min-width:425px){.article-voices .hWBwna{height:20px}}.hWBwna::before{display:inline-block;align-self:center;margin-top:1px;margin-right:12px;content:'\2022';transform:scale(1.5)}.hWBwna:first-child::before{content:none}@media(min-width:768px){.hWBwna{height:24px;margin-bottom:0}.hWBwna::before{margin-top:2px}}.hWBwna time{display:block}.hWBwna time::first-letter {text-transform:capitalize}.hYsQrG{display:inline-block;margin:0 12px 8px 0;color:#ec1a2e;color:light-dark(#ec1a2e,#ec1a2e);font:bold 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;letter-spacing:-0.5px}.hYsQrG:hover,.hYsQrG:active{color:#ac2a2c;color:light-dark(#ac2a2c,#ac2a2c)}@media(min-width:768px){.hYsQrG{margin-bottom:0}}.pYMAz{margin:0 12px 8px -8px}@media(min-width:768px){.pYMAz{margin-bottom:0}}.hSzzTd{margin:0 4px 8px 0}.hSzzTd::before{display:inline-block;margin-top:2px;margin-right:12px;color:#646464;color:light-dark(#646464,#bdbdbd);content:'\2022';transform:scale(1.5)}.hSzzTd:first-child::before{display:none}@media(min-width:768px){.hSzzTd{margin-bottom:0}}.fkbzZm{display:flex;justify-content:flex-start;padding:0;margin:0 0 16px}@media(min-width:768px){.fkbzZm{display:flex;width:30%;align-items:center;justify-content:flex-end;margin:0}}@media(min-width:1000px){.fkbzZm{width:30%}}.eTZxgZ{padding-top:0;border-top:0;border-bottom:0}@media(min-width:768px){.eTZxgZ{display:flex;flex-flow:row wrap;padding-bottom:16px}.eTZxgZ .sc-mzrbq8-0{order:1}.eTZxgZ .sc-mzrbq8-6{order:2}}@media(min-width:1000px){.eTZxgZ{flex-direction:row}}.hkkJDp{padding:16px 12px 12px;text-align:left;font:bold 14px/18px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}@media(min-width:768px){.hkkJDp{padding:16px 16px 12px}}.article-infact .hkkJDp{padding:16px 0}@media(min-width:1000px){.hkkJDp{padding:24px 0 19px}.article-feature .hkkJDp{max-width:968px;margin:0 auto}}.hkkJDp a{color:#222;color:light-dark(#222,#fff)}.hkkJDp a:hover{color:#ac2a2c;color:light-dark(#ac2a2c,#f58992)}.hkkJDp a:hover::after{color:#222;color:light-dark(#222,#fff)}.hkkJDp a::after{margin-right:4px;margin-left:4px;content:'>'}.hkkJDp a:last-child::after{display:none}.hMldFc{margin:0 0 20px;letter-spacing:0}.bWngPc{margin:0;color:#646464;color:light-dark(#646464,#bdbdbd);font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}@media(min-width:768px){.bWngPc{font:normal 18px/22px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}}@media(min-width:1000px){.bWngPc{font:normal 20px/24px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}}.bWngPc p{font:inherit}.article-feature .bWngPc a{font-weight:bold}.dnkfpp{max-width:968px;margin:0 auto;background:#fff;background:light-dark(#fff,#000)}@media(min-width:1000px){.dnkfpp{padding:0 16px}.parallax .dnkfpp{max-width:1240px}}.Rdknw{font:bold 32px/36px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;letter-spacing:-0.0156em}@media(min-width:768px){.Rdknw{font:bold 44px/48px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;letter-spacing:-0.0113em}}@media(min-width:1000px){.Rdknw{font:bold 54px/58px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;letter-spacing:-0.0092em}}.gwrTGe .sc-qvufca-0{margin:0 12px}@media(min-width:768px){.gwrTGe .sc-qvufca-0{max-width:968px;margin-right:16px;margin-left:16px}}@media(min-width:1000px){.gwrTGe .sc-qvufca-0{margin-right:auto;margin-left:auto}}.gwrTGe .sc-qvufca-2{margin-bottom:16px;color:#222;color:light-dark(#222,#fff)}@media(min-width:768px){.gwrTGe .sc-qvufca-2{margin-bottom:18px}}@media(min-width:1000px){.gwrTGe .sc-qvufca-2{margin-top:0}}.article-feature .gwrTGe .sc-qvufca-2{text-align:center}@media(min-width:1000px){.article-feature .gwrTGe .sc-qvufca-2{max-width:968px}}.gwrTGe .sc-aeekvc-0{margin-bottom:16px}@media(min-width:1000px){.gwrTGe .sc-aeekvc-0{max-width:968px}}.gwrTGe .sc-aeekvc-0 p{margin-top:0}@media(min-width:768px){.gwrTGe .sc-aeekvc-0 p{margin-bottom:16px}}@media(min-width:2560px){.gwrTGe .sc-aeekvc-0 p{margin-bottom:12px}}.iExVwO{overflow:hidden;height:0;color:transparent}.VkEbW{max-width:100%;margin:0 0 20px}.VkEbW.sticky{position:sticky;top:16px}.jpuEXf{min-height:600px}.jpuEXf #mpu1{position:sticky;top:16px}.dFDnal{min-height:250px}.dcXsiQ{max-width:100%}.loNRDw{margin:0 0 6px;color:#646464;color:light-dark(#646464,#bdbdbd);font-family:'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;font-size:15px}.ezMsnK{margin:0 0 12px}.iIPWMQ{height:380px}.gXoWZo{width:100%;height:51px}.hjNIYD{margin-bottom:16px;border-bottom:1px solid #919191;border-bottom:1px solid light-dark(#919191,#646464)}.vzWDo{margin-bottom:16px}.vzWDo [role='listitem']{position:relative;margin-bottom:12px;border-bottom:1px solid #d3d3d3;border-bottom:1px solid light-dark(#d3d3d3,#919191)}.vzWDo [role='listitem'] .sc-u4n1j-0{display:flex;position:absolute;bottom:16px;left:10px;width:32px;height:32px;align-items:center;justify-content:center;border-radius:50%;background-color:#ec1a2e;background-color:light-dark(#ec1a2e,#ec1a2e)}.vzWDo [role='listitem'] .sc-u4n1j-0>svg{width:90%;fill:#fff;fill:light-dark(#fff,#000);stroke:transparent}.vzWDo [role='listitem']:first-child{display:block;padding-bottom:0;margin-bottom:12px}.vzWDo [role='listitem']:first-child .sc-u4n1j-0{top:-15px;bottom:auto;left:12px}.vzWDo [role='listitem']:first-child>*:first-child{display:block;width:100%;height:205px}.vzWDo [role='listitem']:first-child>*:last-child{--content-bg:#222;--content-bg-opaque:rgba(34,34,34,0.7);position:absolute;bottom:0;width:100%;padding:28px 12px 12px;background:linear-gradient(to top,var(--content-bg) 70%,var(--content-bg-opaque) 100%) no-repeat;color:#fff;color:light-dark(#fff,#222);font-size:17px;font-weight:bold}.vzWDo [role='listitem']:last-child{margin-bottom:0;border-bottom:0 none}@supports(color:light-dark(red,red)){.vzWDo [role='listitem']:first-child>*:last-child{--content-bg:light-dark(#222,#000)}}@supports(color:light-dark(red,red)){.vzWDo [role='listitem']:first-child>*:last-child{--content-bg-opaque:light-dark(rgba(34,34,34,0.7),rgba(0,0,0,0.7))}}.clClJO{min-height:1924px}@media(max-width:767px){.clClJO{display:none}}.doEDPw{width:308px}.doEDPw.hidden{display:none}@media(max-width:999px){.doEDPw{display:none}}.article-liveblog .ebbjSB{background-color:#f7f7f7;background-color:light-dark(#f7f7f7,#222)}.ghFVC{justify-content:center}.clCHwE{justify-content:center}
Sport Olympics Beth Shriever’s anguish is also the magic of the most brutal sport at the Olympics Britain’s medal hopefuls Kye Whyte and Beth Shriever both finished out of the medal places in the wildly unpredictable sport of BMX racing
Jamie Braidwood at Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines
Friday 02 August 2024 22:55 BST
open image in gallery
Shriever, Olympic champion in 2021, finished last in her BMX racing final (Getty Images) Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference. Read more On the dirt track at Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, there was already bedlam. Sylvain Andre raised his BMX high above his head and threw it onto the ground as if it had betrayed him. Romain Mahieu ripped off his helmet and chucked it into the crowd without a care. Joris Daudet had won the gold, but the historic one-two-three for the hosts were celebrating as one underneath a French flag. Everywhere you looked, the party had started, with horns blaring and bass thumping. Moments earlier, Emmanuel Macron arrived at the finish line to a further roar of disbelief. The president? Here?
In that moment the possibilities a simple BMX race could throw up across just 30 seconds appeared dizzying. Then, at the top of the ramp, all turned silent as Beth Shriever looked down at the starting straight that would decide her fate.
The 25-year-old knew that the defence of her Olympic title would be decided within seconds, hinging on whether she could hit the first turn in front to take the racing line. Shriever had won all three races in qualifying and all three in her semi-final to fight for gold, but so had Australia’s Saya Sakakibara, racing in the other heats. There were only hundreds of a second between their best times and it appeared too close to call. But this is BMX racing, the sport where the only guarantee is there are never any guarantees.
From standing as favourite for gold, Shriever finished last in her final, paying the price for a slow start as Sakakibara cruised to gold. “The race was done,” she said, as she was beaten out of the gate and crowded out by the middle pack.
Around an hour earlier, Shriever had watched as her Great Britain team-mate Kye Whyte had crashed from his semi-final and was stretchered off the course, his Olympic dream over. Between them, Shriever and Whyte had provided one of the moments of the last Olympics three years ago when she won her gold and he claimed his silver within the space of 11 minutes in Tokyo. From that golden morning, Paris turned into a nightmare evening for Team GB.
open image in gallery
Kye Whyte left the track on a stretcher after his semi-final crash (David Davies/PA Wire) BMX is wildly unpredictable but riders learn that it is as much of a blessing as a curse; it can make races thrillingly entertaining and defeats feel frustratingly cruel. “One little mistake cost me,” Shriever said.
It takes just under 40 seconds to win gold in the final, which is a straight shootout, but it can only take 0.4s seconds to lose it. The start is particularly decisive as riders fly out of the gate at the top of the towering ramp. Hitting the first jump in the top two or three places and avoiding getting stuck in the pack behind can be the difference.
Once on the straights, riders fly between jumps standing upright up the pedals, legs extended, before tucking their knees into their chest to maintain their speed dropping into the other side. The steep, banking corners require the perfect racing line. If you can reach the first corner in the lead, there’s not a lot of room to overtake on the short, twisting course. If you don’t, there’s not a lot of time to recover.
open image in gallery
Beth Shriever got off to a poor start in the final and finished out of the medals (Getty Images) It had been a special day already for Team GB, with five medals and three golds. Shriever and Whyte had already combined to produce a historic Olympics story for Team GB but came into the semi-finals carrying with hope rather than expectation. Shriever made it to Paris despite breaking her collarbone in a crash just four months ago but had her preparation time severely impacted by injury. Whyte carried a sore back into the Olympics and struggled through his quarter-finals on Thursday, unable to get the power he had required to push down the ramp and fly into the opening jump.
That would prove crucial. In his second heat, Whyte reacted slowly out of the gate and was behind as he dropped onto the track following the first jump. It was immediately clear that something was wrong and Whyte wobbled, veering off course and going down hard onto the dirt. He was stretchered off before British Cycling confirmed he had suffered no significant injuries, only the pain of another Olympic medal slipping away so quickly.
open image in gallery
Joris Daudet, Sylvain Andre, Romain Mahieu celebrate France’s 1-2-3 (Getty Images) The atmosphere was already electric before the final, especially for the French riders. The crowd stamped their feet as World No 1 Daudet, Mahieu and Andre qualified first, second and third. When they converted it into gold, silver and bronze in front of Macron the place almost exploded. Daudet, Mahieu and Andre jumped off their bikes and fell into an embrace on the finish line.
“That was history on its own, to be a part of that and witness that is insane,” Shriever said.
It revealed the best of her sport, of how much it can give. That was before it showed how much it can also take away.
Thank you for registering Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments