From the Olympics to the oche, women trained, performed and competed on the same stage as men in a breakthrough year
It was one of the most heartwarming images of the Tokyo Olympics. In the aftermath of the women’s BMX final, the newly minted gold medallist Beth Shriever sat slumped on the track in front of a metal barrier, her legs splayed uselessly in front of her. She had pumped every last drop from them to see off the world No 1, Mariana Pajón, in a thrilling chase to the line. Now they couldn’t even lift her to her feet.
Within seconds, her GB teammate Kye Whyte was at her side. Whyte had taken silver in the men’s race that preceded Shriever’s, but you could see in his face what meant more to him. She mumbled something about not being able to feel her limbs. So he scooped her up in her arms and they celebrated the moment together.
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