KEY POINTS:
It took just 60 seconds last weekend to uncover New Zealand's latest, and least known, genuine Olympic medal contender.
BMX might conjure up kids whizzing up and down hills on cut down bikes, but this is a serious business. In 2003, the International Olympic Committee gave it the
nod for the Beijing Games next year.
And 19-year-old Sarah Walker, in finishing second in the Olympic 20 inch class, then winning the 24 inch Cruiser class event the following day in Victoria, Canada, made herself a marked teenager.
Her rivals now know, as she's the reigning world No 1 after winning the international circuit, Walker is a big chance not only for a podium finish, but to win the first gold medal in the event's Olympic history.
Her coach, Australian Grant White, has no doubt about her ability.
"I've known all along she could be the best in the world. She's got so much natural ability. Now she's realising there's a great opportunity in front of her," he said. "What Sarah has done in BMX circles is massive."
Not bad for someone who didn't start until she was 11, relatively late among the serious riders.
"I didn't ever expect or dream it would become my job," she said yesterday. "My brother got a bike for a present and I went and watched for a month. After that I got a bit bored watching so I had a go and didn't stop."
She dabbled in other sports like hockey, volleyball and multisports during her time at Trident High School in Whakatane but the wheels won the day.
Walker, born in Kawerau, is based at Bike New Zealand's high performance operation in Newcastle, where White oversees several riders on a rotation basis.
So is Marc Willers of Cambridge, New Zealand's top male, and ranked in the top 20. He was sixth in the world champs in Paris two years ago, however luck has deserted him since then. He disclocated his shoulder at the worlds in Brazil last year, and crashed before the final in Canada.
Both Walker and White trace the rider's leap from being a well-regarded competitor to world No 1 to a race in Belgium in late April. It was a round of the European leg of the world circuit and Walker made the Europeans sit up.
"I went over not knowing where I was going to be. I hadn't raced them since the worlds 10 months before that, but I'd improved a whole bunch. That kind of blew me away and gave me so much confidence."
The two types of bike differ in wheel size. Walker races the 24 inch Cruiser twice a year, at worlds and nationals, the smaller dimension between 16-20 races a year.
The bikes handle similarly. The gearing set up is slightly different but it's not a big deal to jump from one to the other.
Walker might have had two world titles in Canada, but for slipping up at the start in the Olympic discipline - and in a race which lasts about 30 seconds, the start is critical.
By finishing third in her semifinal, Walker had the fifth choice of lane. She was second-slowest out of the gate and as she put it, "the main part is the first 5 metres. If you're in front you can usually control the race, if you've got a clear track in front of you".
She has her gaze fixed firmly on Beijing. BMX - one of four cycling disciplines on the Olympic programme with road, track and mountain bike - uses a two-year qualifying period, running from the world champs last year through to next year's worlds in China in May.
That takes in two world champs and two international circuits. BMX has four continental series - North and South America, Europe and Asia Pacific. There are 10 races in each continent for which riders get points from their best seven results. Although they can contest races outside their region, points only count within their region.
In addition, there are four Supercross events, where extra points are on offer.
The women's field of 16 in Beijing will comprise two riders from each of the top four nations, one each from the fifth to eighth placed countries, one each from the three next best countries at the 2008 world champs and one IOC choice. New Zealand lie fourth going into the next international circuit, which starts in Japan next week.
There will be 32 in the Beijing men's event. The top five nations get three spots, two come from Nos 6-8, one each from the next three, the six next best from next year's worlds and the IOC choose two.
Walker loves the life and hopes she's got two Olympics in her. At London in 2012 she'll be 24 and it'll be time to reassess life. As she put it "you'd probably earn more at Woolworths".
Still, an Olympic medal is not to be sneezed at, and especially for someone who "didn't really have a clue what to do after high school. BMX was there, the door was open so I went for it".
