Urban Cycling World Championships 2022: Hannah Roberts wins fourth BMX freestyle park title
U.S. superstar Hannah Roberts highlighted her class winning a fourth women's BMX freestyle park title in Abu Dhabi on Sunday (13 November). Rim Nakamura of Japan added his name to the winners list in the men's competition.
American sensation Hannah Roberts won an unprecedented fourth BMX freestyle park title at the UCI Urban Cycling World Championships in Abu Dhabi on Sunday (13 November).
The Olympic silver medallist is the undisputed queen of BMX freestyle, now boasting four of the five championship titles that have been contested since its inception in 2017.
Roberts has been a dominant force in the sport, announcing herself on the global stage at the inaugural world championships at age 17 in 2017, following it up with wins in 2019, 2021, and now 2022.
The 21-year-old Roberts was again at the top of her game with a score of 87.20, more than three points ahead of her nearest rival. Olympic bronze medallist, Nikita Ducarroz of Switzerland, was the second-best rider on the day with 84.70. The Czech Republic’s Iveta Miculyčová bagged the bronze medal with a score of 83.20.
The championships ended in disappointment for Britain’s Olympic champion Charlotte Worthington, who had to settle for fifth place.
Women's BMX Park Final Results:
- Hannah Roberts (USA) – 87.20
- Nikita Ducarroz (SUI) – 84.70
- Iveta Miculyčová (CZE) – 83.20
- Kim Lea Müller (GER) – 79.00
- Charlotte Worthington (GBR) – 77.56
- Queen Villegas Serna (COL) – 77.40
- Perris Benegas (USA) – 76.00
- Minato Oike (JPN) – 75.40
- Angie Marino (USA) – 75.00
- Analia Gabriela Zacarias (ARG) – 73.40
Meanwhile, Japan's Rim Nakamura won the men's elite competition after dropping a 720 bar spin, tuck no-hander on his first run for a winning score of 93.80.
The 20-year-old Nakamura claimed his first world title finished ahead of a quality field that included defending Olympic and world champion Logan Martin of Australia.
Former world champion Justin Dowell (91.50) of the United States finished as runner-up, with Anthony Jeanjean of France claiming third place with 91.20. Martin had to settle for sixth place with a score of 86.40.
Men's BMX Park Final Results:
- Rim Nakamura (JPN) – 93.80
- Justin Dowell (USA) – 91.50
- Anthony Jeanjean (FRA) – 91.20
- Marcus Christopher (USA) – 90.26
- Jose Torres Gil (ARG) – 89.26
- Logan Martin (AUS) – 86.40
- Daniel Dhers (VEN) – 85.40
- Marin Ranteš (CRO) – 85.10
- Kenneth Fabian Tencio Esquivel (CRC) – 81.20
- Kieran Reilly (GBR) – 80.10
How do the world championships affect Olympic qualification?
While there are two Paris 2024 quotas per gender available at the 2022 Urban Cycling World Championships, they will only be allocated based on the results of the Olympic Qualifier Series (OQS) that takes place in 2024.
The Olympic Qualifier Series 2024 offers six quotas per gender to the highest-ranked athletes by name. In the case that not all continents are represented following the results of the OQS, the first of two quota remaining quotas per gender will be retrospectively allocated to the highest-ranked NOCs from a continent that has not yet qualified for the Games, based on their performances at the 2022 Urban Cycling World Championships.