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Connor Fields (r.) Fell in his semifinals
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MATTHEW CHILDS / REUTERS
Two serious falls overshadowed the race competitions of the BMX competition newly included in the Olympic program.
In the semi-finals on Friday, Rio Olympic champion Connor Fields from the USA and the Australian Saya Sakakibara fell badly, both had to be treated on the track and were transported away with a stretcher.
Especially the fall of Fields, who is a top star of the BMX scene, looked dramatic. In his third semi-final run at Ariake Urban Sports Park, he lost control astonishingly early and hit the ground head first. The Frenchman Sylvain André and Twan van Gendt from the Netherlands could no longer evade and crashed into Fields. Falls are the order of the day in BMX races, but the riders usually collide after the first steep turn at the earliest, when the lanes are changed and the paths are blocked without a view of the way.
In the meantime, the US team was able to give the all-clear regarding Fields' health.
“We can confirm that Connor Fields is awake and awaiting further medical examinations.
We will publish further updates as soon as they are available, "the team doctor is quoted as saying on the official Olympic website.
60 kilometers per hour, 40 seconds
Eight athletes compete against each other in BMX races.
Speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour can be achieved.
The course is characterized by many waves, wide jumps and banked turns.
Because of the low translation, the tempo has to be reached early, in the difficult passages there is hardly any trampling.
A race is over after just under 40 seconds.
The women’s medal decision was also accompanied by a serious accident.
Sakakibara fell badly in the semifinals and was then also carried away with the stretcher.
At first, the 21-year-old showed signs of a "slight concussion", but after 30 minutes she "recovered completely," tweeted the Australian team.
The gold medals went to Bethany Shriever from Great Britain, in the men's competition, in the absence of Fields, the Dutchman Niek Kimmann, who had a violent collision with a marshal during training a few days ago.
The freestyle competitions will be held on the next two days, with tricks and jumps in the foreground.
krä / sid / dpa