Thumbs up from American Crain after nasty BMX crash… and she plans to go again on Friday!
|
UPDATED:
18:11 GMT, 8 August 2012
This is the moment American BMX rider Brooke Crain's Olympic dream looked certain to have ended with a painful crunch.
Half-way through a seeding race the 19-year-old clipped her rear wheel on a ramp and flew over the handlebars of her bike, before slamming to the ground chest first.
She laid motionless on the track, clutching her ribs for almost a minute while a medical team raced to help her.
Ouch: The moment Brooke Cain makes contact with the track, chest first, after hitting a ramp during her seeding run
Crash: She hits the track chest-first and the impact sends her hurtling back into the air
Crunch: The impact of the collision sent Crain and her bike bouncing painfully along the circuit
The accident happened during a race to decide ranking for Friday's semi-final – where she is due to line up alongside British medal hope Shanaze Reade.
The crash drew gasps of horror from the crowd at the BMX circuit and thousands watching on TV.
The full extent of her injuries have
not been revealed, but incredibly Team USA bosses insist she has still plans to competing on Friday.
The brave rider even managed to send a message of hope to supporters from the sick bay.
Her coach Mike King tweeted a photo
of Crain lying on back and still clutching her ribs, but offering a
smile and a thumbs up, alongside the message: 'Preliminary report from todays seeding run is that @brookecrain32 is sore but will be ready for Friday.'
If she is fit on Friday, Crain will be given the 16th and final seed in the women's competition.
Somersault: Crain clipped her rear wheel on a ramp at speed and flew over her handle bars
Hurt: She slammed her chest into the next ramp and remained on the ground for about a minute
.olympicStats1038148 background:url(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/07_04/bckg308x110.jpg) no-repeat top left; display:block; width:308px; height:110px; padding:0; font-weight:bold
.olympicStats1038148 ul width:98%; padding:2px; list-style:none; position:relative; top:86px; left:6px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif
.olympicStats1038148 ul li a padding:0 2px; font-size:11px; color:#0cac0c; text-decoration:none
.olympicStats1038148 a:hover text-decoration:underline
.olympicStats1038148 ul li float:left; list-style-type: none; padding: 0;
LIVE RESULTS |
EVENT SCHEDULE |
MEDALS TABLE
The teenager is only competing in London as a replacement for Arielle Martin, who was hospitalized after a crash during a final training run on July 30 in California.
Martin underwent a third surgery on Monday night after injuring her liver and lung in the accident.
Martin's family said in a statement
that doctors are hopeful the latest surgery will help with fluid build
up in her abdomen. A previous surgery removed about two liters of fluid.
The
gold medal hopeful crashed after a mechanical problem during a final
practice with the U.S. team. She suffered a severe liver laceration and a
collapsed right lung, injuries that initially were deemed
life-threatening.
Crain is due to ride in the same heat
as British medal hope Shanaze Reade, who started her Olympics with a
strong ride, qualifying for the semi-final seeded fifth.
Reade
is hoping to improve on her performance in Beijing, when she chose to
battle for gold, rather than settle for bronze or silver – only to crash
on her final turn and end up medal-less.
The
three-time world champion will need to improve her time, but with a
strong home crowd, she'll be hoping to ride better as the competition
progresses.
Back on her feet: Crain eventually sat upright and was helped off the course. There was no immediate word on how badly she was hurt
Hurt, but not broken: TeamUSA tweeted this picture of Brooke in the sick back, clutching her ribs
British women's hopeful Shanaze Reade is in good form flying round the course during her seeding ride
Speaking after
her ride, the 23-year-old from Crewe said: ‘It felt quite good out
there. The first race is always going to be a bit rusty.
‘It
was amazing to compete in front of a home crowd. I have been sitting
around and watching Olympic titles being won and have just wanted to get
out there and compete myself.
‘After
the last Games I had a kind of love/hate relationship with the
Olympics. Coming into this Olympics feels so normal and relaxed. I just
want to enjoy the event.’
Team GB's Liam Phillips was also in action in the men's event on a thrilling first day of competition.
And the 23-year-old from Burnham-on-Sea was thrilled with his performance, despite qualifying for
tomorrow's quarter-finals back in 12th place.
He said: 'This is what I wanted. I like riding on the track, but it didn't float my boat.
'This is where I belong. Whatever
happens in terms of results, I'm here to enjoy it and to have 6,000
people that have paid to come and watch a sport that I've done since I
was five years old is mind-blowing.'
Redemption: Reade who narrowly missed out on a medal in Beijing, is seeded fifth going into Friday's semi-final
Steady start: British rider Liam Phillips is in good shape
Flying biker: A packed house watches Philips in his seeding run, qualifying in 12th for Thursday quarter-final