Two young New Zealand riders secured bronze medals on day two of the UCI BMX World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Auckland’s Meg Cannon and Cambridge’s Lily Greenough both won bronze medals on the first of day days of Challenge (age group) racing.
Cannon, from the East City club, repeated the bronze medal she won last year, racing in the girls 8 years category. She had a tough start to be sixth in her first moto but bounced back with two second placings to qualify for the final.
The young Auckland rider jumped well out of the gate to secure the third placing, with the title won by Japan’s Mana Sawada.
Greenough, from the Cambridge club, also won a bronze medal in the final of the 11 years category. Eighth in last year’s final, Greenough was impressive, finishing second overall in the qualifying motos, second in the semifinal and third in the final.
Auckland’s Sacha Earnest was the other New Zealand rider to make a final, finishing fourth in the 12 years category.
Earnest, from Mountain Raiders club, had two wins and a second placing in her motos and was third in her semifinal.
Action continues tomorrow in the Challenge (age group) classes on day three for riders 13 years and over plus Masters racing. The elites have official practice tomorrow ahead of the initial qualifying motos for all four grades on Saturday (NZ Time). The elimination rounds through to the grand final is on Sunday.
Finals Results, day 2:
Girls
8 years: Mana Sawada (JPN) 1, Mariana Aguilera (BOL) 2, Meg Cannon (NZL) 3.
11 years: Portias Eden (AUS) 1, Nicole Castro (COL) 2, Lily Greenough (NZL) 3.
12 years: Paula Kibare (LAT) 1, Sara Garcia (COL) 2, Teya Rufus (AUS) 3, Sacha Earnest (NZL) 4.
