BMX: Walker double world champ

Sarah Walker was in brilliant form. Photo / Evan Jeffery/BikeNZ

New Zealand's Sarah Walker capped a dream weekend in Adelaide with her second world BMX title last night.

The 21-year-old from Bay of Plenty added the cruiser class (larger diameter wheel size) title to her elite world title victory 24 hours earlier at the Adelaide Showgrounds.

Walker shook off the disappointment of her Olympic Games fourth placing to dominate the field in both events over the weekend.

On Saturday, she won all three qualifying motos, her semifinal and the final in a brilliant display to complete her set of world championship medals. She won the silver in 2007 in Canada and the bronze last year in China.

Walker, who choked back tears after just missing the Beijing Olympic podium, said the major difference was a new-found belief in her own ability.

"That's by far the best I have ever ridden," Walker said. "It's the first time that I have believed that I could do it. I have probably had the skill and ability to win in the past but I have not believed enough in myself.

"I've trained really hard for the last few months, and have been really strong in the gym. As soon as I rode the track I was feeling my bike and was at one with it. I had confidence that I had the ability and I had done the work."

In yesterday's elite final she beat France's Eva Ailloud by more than a second, with Arielle Martin, of the United States, third.

Walker said the dominance of her victory yesterday on the tight indoor track was the most satisfying.

"I absolutely nailed it. I won every lap today and was faster than anyone else in every round. You have got to be happy with that."

Her only disappointment was that last year's champion Shanaze Reade, of England, and Beijing silver medallist Laetiita Le Corguille were missing with injury. Beijing gold medalist Anne-Caroline Chausson, of France, has retired.

"I would have loved to have had them here because I was riding that well I believe I would have still won and won really well," Walker said.

BikeNZ high performance director Mark Elliott hailed Walker's success, and praised the efforts of head coach, Canadian Ken Cools. "Ken has always said that Sarah is the most-gifted BMX rider in the world," Elliott said.

"He has stuck to getting the basics right with Sarah instead of looking for a change in approach."

Olympian Marc Willers crashed in his quarter-final after he was squeezed around the second corner on the narrow track and came down in a melee.

Willers said he was disappointed with his start after starting well in all his previous races. "That left me in the pack for the first corner which is always a problem in this field. I will now look towards a build up for next year although I will have surgery on my injured shoulder," Willers said.

Auckland's Alexandra Williams finished a creditable sixth in her first world championship final.

- NZPA