American BMX rider and defending champion Connor Fields leaves the Olympics on a stretcher after crashing over his handlebars, landing on his face and then being run over by other riders
- The 28-year-old is defending champion after winning gold in Rio’s 2016 Games
- Fields went over his handlebars and fell onto his face, taking two competitors down with him
- He was attended to on the asphalt before being stretchered into an ambulance
- Fields was later ‘awake and awaiting further medical evaluation’
- The finals went ahead without Fields with just seven riders
- Team Netherlands’ Niek Kimmann won gold, Team GB’s Kye Whyte took silver and Carlos Ramirez Yepes walked away with bronze
American BMX rider Connor Fields, 28, was carried off the Olympic course after a major crash in the third semi-final heat today
American BMX rider Connor Fields was carried off the Olympic course after a major crash in the third semi-final heat Friday.
The 28-year-old from Texas is the defending champion and became Team USA’s first BMX rider to win gold at the 2016 Rio Games.
He was a favorite to win it again in Tokyo and jumped quickly out of the gate and into first.
But about nine seconds into the race, Fields went over his handlebars and fell onto his face, taking two competitors down with him and tearing through his Team USA jersey.
He was run over by other riders while laying motionless on the asphalt, where he was attended to for several minutes before being stretchered into an ambulance.
About nine seconds into the race Fields went over his handlebars and fell onto his face, taking two competitors down with him and tearing his Team USA jersey
The men’s final was set to go ahead without Fields with a field of just seven riders. Fields qualified for the finals but could not participate after the horrific crash. A USA cycling doctor later said Fields was ‘awake and awaiting further medical evaluation’
Fields was a favorite to win it again in Tokyo and jumped quickly out of the gate and into first. He was run over by other riders while laying motionless on the asphalt, where he was attended to for several minutes before being carried away and stretchered into an ambulance
Fields (right), from Texas, is the defending champion and became Team USA’s first BMX rider to win gold at the 2016 Rio Games
The semi-final round of the competition was delayed for 45 minutes because of rain and the men’s final was set to go ahead without Fields with just seven riders.
A USA Cycling doctor later said Fields was ‘awake and awaiting further medical evaluation’.
Team Netherlands’ Niek Kimmann, who suffered his own crash during training in the days prior to the event, won gold. Team GB’s Kye Whyte took silver and Carlos Ramirez Yepes walked away with bronze.
Team Netherlands’ Niek Kimmann (center), who suffered his own crash during training in the days prior to the event, won gold. Team GB’s Kye Whyte (left) took silver and Carlos Ramirez Yepes (right) walked away with bronze
When asked about Fields’s crash, Kimmann said: ‘ I haven’t seen the crash, but I hope he’s OK. He’s been a great ambassador for the sport. For me it’s sad he wasn’t able to defend his gold medal.’
Fields’ crash was followed minutes later by another serious accident in the women’s semi-finals. Australia’s Saya Sakakibara needed medical attention on the track after getting hit from behind in the third run.
‘BMX, this is what it is,’ Sakakibara said.