BMX: Walker eyes Olympic redemption after World Champs double

Sarah Walker won both the cruiser class and world elite finals at the BMX world championships in Adelaide at the weekend. Photo / Rotorua Daily Post

Newly crowned world women's BMX champion Sarah Walker is already eyeing Olympic redemption in London after completing a dream weekend in Adelaide last night.

The 21-year-old from Kawerau, Bay of Plenty, dominated the cruiser class field to win the final by more than a second over Manon Vanetino from France and Lithuania's Vilma Rimsaite.

It was her second world title in the cruiser class (larger wheel diameter) after her victory in Canada two years ago, which was secured 24 hours after she won the world elite final with similar ease on the indoor track at Adelaide Showgrounds.

Walker was on top of the world and already eyeing the 2012 podium in London after last year's disappointment of a fourth placing in Beijing.

"This hasn't sunk in yet. This morning I really didn't have the time to think that I had become a world champion because I had to prepare for today," she said.

"This is a huge confidence boost for me. I came to these championships with confidence in my own ability because I knew I had done the training and the hard work. Now I know I can be the best and I can foot it with the best.

"I'll take some time now to re-evaluate things and plan ahead. There's a lot to do and still a lot of improvement in me. We have the Olympic qualification starting this year and I have more world championships to come.

"But the big goal is obviously the London Olympics. That is the ultimate dream."

Walker was believed to be the first elite woman to win the double of the BMX and cruiser class world titles.

Yesterday's victory completed her set of world championship medals, having won elite silver in 2007 in Canada and the bronze last year in China.

She said it was difficult to focus today after her brilliant victory last night.

"I did manage to get plenty of sleep because I really wanted to give it my best shot today," Walker said.

"But I had the attitude today that I was so pleased with my performance whatever happened. So I pretty much muddled through the motos."

She did more than that, winning all three impressively in the three fastest times in all the qualifying heats.

In the cruiser class final she burst out of the start and won by more than a second in 32.218, the fastest time of the day.

Fellow Rotorua club rider Tania Carson also qualified for the final, finishing sixth after finishing seventh, fifth and fourth in the three qualifying motos.

Canterbury's Elyse Imber finished sixth in the final of the junior women, after qualifying strongly with two seconds and a third in the motos.

- NZPA