2008 US Olympic BMX Team
Bennett, Day, Robinson and Kintner to Compete in Beijing Olympics
Jul 3, 2008
After a year of speculation and excitement, the members of the 2008 Olympic BMX team have been named.
The Battle for the US Men's Olympic BMX Team
The first spot on the US Olympic BMX team went to Kyle Bennett. Bennett, a three time BMX World Champion, won his place on the team on May 10, after making it to the finals of a World Cup race in Denmark. Bennett’s spot on the team was awarded based on an accumulation of points throughout the year.
The US Olympic Team Trials served as the battlegrounds for riders who were determined to claim the second spot on the team. On June 14th, in Chula Vista, California, that spot went to Mike Day. Day dominated the trials, finishing first in the time trials, first and third moto, and finishing just behind Donny Robinson in the second moto. By the end of the day his point lead was so great that nobody could catch him so the final heat of the day was canceled.
Mike Day is a 23-year-old California native who has been riding since the age of nine. He has medaled twice at the BMX World Championship. He placed second in 2005 and third in 2006. He has also competed in the X Games and took the bronze in 2003 in downhill. Day rides for GT/Red Bull.
The third member of the US Olympic BMX team was given to the rider of the coaches choosing. Few people were surprised when that spot went to Donny Robinson. Robinson, the world’s top-ranked BMX racer, finished second in the Olympic Team Trials in Chula Vista.
Donny Robinson began riding at the age of six and had his first national level win at age eight. He turned pro in 2002 and within four years he won the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup. Robinson rides for Factory Formula.
Women's Olympic BMX Racing
In addition to the men’s BMX team, the US will be sending Jill Kintner to compete for the women’s BMX team. Kintner, a Washington native, has been racing BMX since she was eight years old. She began competing at the pro level at fourteen and went on to claim several championship titles. In 2002 Kintner switched to Mountaincross and proved to be just as dominant in that. When the opportunity to compete in the Olympics came, she went back to her BMX roots and claimed her spot on the US Olympic team. Kintner rides for GT.
The Beginning of Olympic BMX Racing
BMX racing will make its Olympic debut this summer at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. The Olympic BMX racing will feature heats of eight racers. The top four finishers of each heat will move on to the next. The men’s event will begin with 32 riders; the women’s will have 16.
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