Medal Hopes Crash for BMX Rider Callisto

Published On: 22 August 2008

WAIS BMX rider Nicole Callisto has finished sixth in the final of the inaugural BMX competition at the Beijing Games.

The final run of the women’s BMX kicked off this morning at the Laoshan BMX Venue, after being postponed yesterday (Thursday) due to heavy rainfall. Callisto took a fall during the race, finishing in a time of 1.19.609.

The result will come as a disappointment to the 20 year old, who clocked 37.717 seconds in the heats and 38.244 in the semi-finals, which would have placed her in a medal position. The French dominated the event, with Anne-Caroline Chausson taking the title with a time of 35.976, followed by teammate Laetitia le Corguille in 38.042.

Fellow WAIS BMX rider Tanya Bailey was eliminated in the semi-finals, posting a time of 39.505 seconds after failing to finish the first and second runs.

Callisto and Bailey made history as WA and Australia’s first representatives in the new Olympic sport of BMX.