Paris Olympics: Team GB BMX cyclist Bethany Shriever could miss games with broken collarbone

Team GB BMX cyclist Bethany Shriever could be ruled out of the 2024 Paris Olympics after suffering a broken collarbone while competing in a race in the BMX Racing World Championships.

It is unclear how Shriever suffered the injury - however, it has ruled her out of the rest of the World Championships. She dropped out in the semi-finals in the race that was held in Rock Hill, South Carolina in the USA.

As things stand, her status ahead of the Olympics is now unclear. There are still two months to go before the competition begins - as such, Shriever will now focus on recovering to ensure her participation. The Olympics are due to commence on July 26.

Born in Leytonstone in East London in 1999, Shriever took up BMX riding when she was eight years old. She competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she won gold in BMX racing. Due to UK Sport’s refusal to fund the travelling costs of female riders for the 2020 Olympics, she was forced to work as a part-time nursery assistant at the Stephen Perse Foundation to help cover the costs herself.

Outside of this, she has also won gold medals in the BMX World Championships, the BMX World Junior Championships and the BMX European Championships.

Furthermore, in 2016, Shriever came second in her first major competition, winning the silver medal in the European BMX Championships. In 2022, she received an MBE for her services to the sport.

Posting on her official Instagram account regarding the injury, Shriever wrote: "Not how I wanted my world champs to end, but it’s BMX… leaving this 4 week trip with a fractured collarbone, time to get our heads down and get to work, still got one more opportunity and it’s a big one. Grateful for the team behind me.”