Plucky BMX performance by Petch

BMX racer Rebecca Petch fought back bravely to earn a spot in tomorrow’s semi-finals after taking a severe tumble in her first race today.

Petch, 23, had a disastrous beginning to her Olympic career when her pedal struck the ground in the first race and she fell extremely heavily. The dazed New Zealander eventually got to her feet and completed the race, but the time she recorded, 2min 01.32s, was more than a minute slower than other finishers.

She pluckily returned to the action for the second of the three rounds and sizzled around the course in 48.508s, good enough for third in her group (six starters in each group). In the final round, Petch attacked impressively and finished second to world champion American Alise Willoughby in 46.823s. The American, totally dominant, won her group with just 3 points. Petch was third with 10 points.

Petch is following a fine tradition in New Zealand BMX. The Te Awamutu rider says her inspiration has been Sarah Walker, who was a silver medallist in the London Olympics in 2012.

Petch seemed a little stunned at how her day went.

“I can’t believe it. I felt quite good, but coming into the second corner I was too eager and got on the pedals too early and hit the concrete and went over the bars.

“It was not a great start. With a good support crew around me they got me back on my feet and kept my hopes high. I didn’t come to the Olympics just to do one race. I just went all-out and forgot that my shoulder was sore, concentrated on my gate and the things I could control, and it worked for me.”

Overall Petch was pleased with how she’d come back and qualified for the semis. “I’m so proud. I can’t even put it into words.”

She said the training she’d done over the past couple of years had got her through. “I didn’t back out halfway around, and backed that I had the fitness to keep going to the line.

“It’s a super-long track and we trained for it, being able to perform under fatigue, and that’s what I did.”