BMX: Walker pleased with return from injury

Former world champion Sarah Walker made a strong return from injury in the time trials at the BMX world championships in Birmingham overnight (NZT).

Walker, who dislocated her shoulder in a crash at the BMX supercross world cup just six weeks ago, qualified eighth for tomorrow's elimination racing at the National Indoor Arena.

She and fellow Cambridge rider Marc Willers are the only BikeNZ elite riders to qualify for racing tomorrow, although they will be joined by junior men Trent Jones, Cody Hobbs and Matthew Tew.

Walker clocked the sixth fastest time in elite women's qualifying with a 29.825s effort around the tight 310m circuit, only 0.8s off top qualifier Caroline Buchanan. Walker was close to that time to be eighth fastest in the super time trial in 30.028, which was won by the in-form Buchanan.

Walker was pleasantly surprised by her showing, considering the rapid recovery from injury.

"I am really happy with how I have come back from this injury," she said. "Most people who dislocate their shoulder are just coming out of their sling at six weeks and I am only at six weeks tomorrow.

"It's pretty cool to be able to race the world championships and finish eighth in the super final and be up there with the best in the world after just a week back on my bike."

It marked a confidence boosting effort from the 23-year-old who has been plagued with injuries since last season.

A troublesome back ailment kept her out of action in New Zealand over summer and also from the first round of the supercross world cup in Chula Vista. She then sustained the dislocation after crashing at the Norway World Cup.

Willers, meanwhile, wanted a sharp time in qualifying to boost his chances for a preferential gate position in tomorrow's racing, considering the tight nature of the first corner on the compact track.

But he could manage only 20th in a time of 27.019, which left him outside the qualifiers for the super time trial final and without the opportunity to secure a more beneficial gate.

Tomorrow's elite racing will see riders compete in groups of eight, with the top four from each group to progress to the elimination rounds.