UCI Cycling World Championships 2023: Kieran Reilly, Hannah Roberts capture BMX Freestyle Park world titles
Discover how the home favorite Reilly had to endure a weather delay before being crowned world champion, while Roberts cruised to victory in the women's competition.
Cycling BMX Freestyle
Kieran Reilly and Hannah Roberts won the BMX Freestyle Park world titles at the UCI Cycling World Championships 2023 on Monday (7 August) in Glasgow, Great Britain.
Olympic qualifying quota spots for Paris 2024 were also on offer to the National Olympic Committees of the top three riders, although these quotas will only be confirmed after next year's Olympic Qualifying Series, which will be the primary qualifying competition for Paris 2024.
The men's final featured an expanded field of 24 riders, as rainy weather on Saturday had forced the qualification round to be cancelled mid-way and rescheduled for Sunday, resulting in a change in format and the cancellation of the semi-finals.
With home rider, and recently crowned European Games champion, Reilly in the lead on 95.80 points and just two attempts – those of defending world champion Nakamura Rimu and Olympic champion Logan Martin – remaining in the second run, the heavens opened again, forcing an interruption in the competition.
When the final resumed, Logan earned a 95.30 on his second run, just shy of Reilly's lead. American Nick Bruce took the bronze medal.
Nakamura's second run was a 91.87, good for fourth in the final standings.
In the women's race, Olympic silver medallist Roberts put up a 91.04 in her opening run, propelling her to the top of the leaderboard. As no riders managed to surpass her after all had taken their second attempts, the American could celebrate her fourth title without even performing her second run. The People's Republic of China's Sun Sibei claimed silver (89.10), with compatriot Zhou Huimin taking the bronze (87.90).