UCI BMX Racing World Championship: Beth Shriver wins historic fourth BMX world title

Britain’s Beth Shriver became the first BMX racer to win four elite world titles due to extreme weather at the UCI BMX Racing World Championships in Brisbane.

After persistently strong winds delayed the start of the race in the Australian city, the UCI was forced to abandon the event and take the results from the first round held the previous day.

Shriver, 27, set the fastest lap time in the women’s event, meaning she was crowned champion for an unprecedented fourth time.

In the men’s event, fellow Briton Ross Cullen took silver, setting the second fastest lap behind Australia’s Jesse Asmus.

Shriver’s win adds to her 2021, 2023 and 2025 world titles, as well as her Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020.

“I’ve dreamed of doing this, but obviously not like this. I know it’s been a crazy, crazy day and I think we all feel like it’s a dream right now,” Shriver said.

“But, I mean, I slept on a solid lap yesterday, so everything happens for a reason. I couldn’t believe how fast yesterday was, yeah, we’ll take it.

“I’m still happy, obviously we wanted to do it right today but we can’t control the weather and it was very dangerous out there today.”

According to UCI regulations, if a BMX Racing World Championship is cancelled, “the final result of the last completed round shall be announced”.

The decision to abandon the race was made with the support of representatives of the UCI Athletes’ Commission, National Federation team managers and local organizing committees on site.

In the women’s junior event, Freya Challis beat fellow Briton Elsa Randall Todd to win gold.