Walker's Chances Improve For BMX World Championships

New Zealand BMX rider Sarah Walker has had her chances of success at next month’s world championships improved with news that world champion Shanaze Reade has withdrawn.

Walker, who grabbed a bronze medal last year, will be among the favourites for success at this year’s world championships to be held in Adelaide on 23-26 July.

Those chances have significantly improved with Reade’s withdrawal, after the Great Britain athlete suffered a serious shoulder injury in training two weeks ago. The 20 year old exacerbated an old shoulder injury and will miss out on her debut in the Mountain Bike World Cup Scotland this weekend along with the World BMX Championships in Adelaide.

Reade’s omission will now leave the opportunity open for Walker with the retirement of 2008 world silver medallist and Olympic gold medallist, Anne-Caroline Chausson (FRA).

Walker, who finished fourth at both the Beijing Olympics and the recent UCI Supercross in Copenhagen, is expected to face major opposition from French rider, Laetitia le Corguille and American Jill Kintner, the Beijing Olympic silver and bronze medalists respectively.

Australia’s main hopes include national champion, Caroline Buchanan from Canberra aiming for a World Championship final as is Beijing Olympic finalist, Nicole Callisto from Perth.

Reade was hoping to claim her third gold medal in succession at the BMX World Championships after winning in China last year and in Canada in 2007.

The Great Britain rider, who has world championship medals in BMX and in team sprint on the track, was planning to compete in three cycling disciplines at world class level this year, adding mountain bike Four Cross to her repertoire. However she will now re-focus on the London 2012 Olympics.