Bethany Shriever blitzes field on way to BMX gold while Kye Whyte takes brilliant silver for Team GB
BETHANY SHRIEVER led a brilliant double medal haul for Team GB on the BMX track this morning.
The 22-year-old blitzed the field in Friday’s final in Tokyo in a brilliant ride.
And she added gold to Kye Whyte’s silver medal just moments earlier in the men’s race.
Shriever edged out Colombian rider Mariana Pajon in a thrilling final race.
The action was delayed after a scary crash in the men’s semi-final involving reigning champion Connor Fields.
But when the finals got underway it was worth the wait for Team GB.
The East London cyclist dominated the three semi-final runs and then carried that fine form in the final in a time of 44.358 seconds.
She beat the two-time defending champion Pajon from Colombian by 0.09 seconds in an event delayed by torrential rain overnight.
And she was so exhausted that she couldn’t help but let out an f-bomb in her post-race interview.
It came after South Londoner Whyte secured a silver medal in the men’s race in his first Olympics appearance, the 21-year-old coming second to Dutchman Niek Kimmann.
Shriever was so stunned by the result and Whyte’s display that she left slip an expletive while being interviewed live to millions.
She said: “Honestly I’m in shock. Oh my god.
“To be here is an achievement in itself. To make a final is an achievement in itself.
“To come away with a medal, let alone a gold, is crazy.
“I owe a lot to everyone. This means so much. I am so grateful for the support of people waking up. I am overwhelmed.
“Gold wasn’t my goal. Results are out of our control. I wanted to keep to my routine and keep my cool round the track. I managed to hold on and take the win.
“I was almost crying after Kye’s silver. I watched it before going up. I had to keep my cool and reset. And just f**king…sorry, sorry.
“I had to dig in. I had no legs left. I gave it everything I had. I had nothing left.
“The lactic acid was crazy. I gave it absolutely everything I had. I was rewarded, it is amazing.
“I cannot put this into words. This is every athlete’s dream and I have done it.”
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Whyte, meanwhile, paid tribute to his family and friends watching on from back in South London.
He said: “They all went to the Peckham BMX club house. My little nephews were there and he stayed up until 4am/5am. I can’t imagine how tired all of them are.
“I’ve got family I haven’t seen in ages because I live in Manchester and they live in London.”
Whyte added: “It’s (the medal) flipping heavy! My neck is aching It means everything to me.
“It’s hard to even get to the Olympics in the first place. But to do well and to get a medal, it’s special.”
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