Walker takes out BMX national title ‘Baz’ fireworks overshadowed
Sarah Walker’s comeback plans took another step forward with a national title win yesterday.
The 2012 London Olympics women’s BMX silver medallist will now head to Europe to kick-start her career with another elite-grade victory, achieved at the New Zealand BMX champs in Te Awamutu.
Walker won all three motos to claim the title as organisers worked hard to keep the racing on schedule among the rain following heavy downpours in recent days.
Gisborne’s Nick Fox, who has raced successfully in the United States in recent years, won the elite men’s final ahead of world championship representative Michael Bias (North Harbour) and talented Cole McOnie from the local club.
Junior world champion Maynard Peel (Sunset Coast) was in a class of his own in winning the junior elite crown, while Hawke’s Bay rider Amy Martin won the junior elite category.
A string of injuries – including a broken arm in training early in 2016 that ultimately stopped her from qualifying for last year’s Rio Olympics – have hindered Walker since London.
She did not have things her own way yesterday in staving off the challenge from Te Awamutu rider Rebecca Petch, who finished second in each moto, with Tahlia Hansen (North Canterbury) third.
‘‘I was quite pleased with today went,’’ Walker said.
‘‘It has been 10 years since I first came into the elite class so it was nice to win the national title again after all that time.
‘‘It was really good racing. I had good battles with Rebecca in all three races. It was cool to see her step up and give it everything and it provided some good tough racing for me.’’
Walker heads to Europe on Sunday to train with Rio Olympic medallist Laura Smulders in the Netherlands. how A blazing knock from Brendon McCullum has helped the Gujarat Lions to their first win in the Indian Premier League, although his performance was overshadowed by a dream debut from Australian paceman Andrew Tye.
The former Black Caps captain top-scored with 49 as the Lions cruised to a seven-wicket victory over the Rising Pune Supergiant in Rajkot, chasing down the target of 172 with two overs to spare.
McCullum’s innings came off just 32 deliveries, smashing five fours and three sixes, to set the tone in a blistering opening stand with Dwayne Smith (47). The pair tormented the Supergiant bowlers with a 94-run partnership off 53 balls, and negated the spin threat of Imran Tahir.
Tye was the star of the day, though, as the Aussie quick bagged a hat-trick in his first IPL appearance. Tye, one of the four changes made by the Lions, finished with 5-17 and restricted the Supergiant to 171-8. He claimed the wickets of Ankit Sharma, Manoj Tiwari, and Shardul Thakur in the last over for his hat-trick having earlier taken the scalps Rahul Tripathi (33) and Ben Stokes (25).
Tye wasn’t the only bowler snag a hat-trick on the day.
West Indies legspinner Samuel Badree also took three in a row but his impressive figures of 4-9 couldn’t stop last year’s finalists Royal Challengers Bangalore from losing to the Mumbai Indians by four wickets. - with AP to