Tokyo 2020 - 'I'm in shock' - Bethany Shriever, Kye Whyte react to winning Team GB BMX gold and silver
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Updated 30/07/2021 at 07:04 GMT
The 22-year-old narrowly won the final of the the women's event at Ariake Urban Sports Park moments after teammate Kye Whyte took silver in the men's event. The Essex-born cyclist Shriever edged out Marian Pajon of Colombia to take a surprise gold after dominating her knockout rounds. You want it? We have it. Stream every Olympic event live on discovery+
‘No one can take that from her!’ – Shriever breaks down on podium as she receives gold medal
New Olympic champion Bethany Shriever has described her shock after winning the women's BMX race at Tokyo 2020.
Shriever in the process became Great Britain's fist ever Olympic champion in the sport.
Her achievement came just moments after teammate Kye Whyte had won his own historic medal - a silver in the men's race.
The 22-year-old Shriever survived the late surge of Colombia's Marian Pajon to hold on to gold at her first Olympics.
And the success is beyond what the Essex-born cyclist could have possibly conceived when arriving in Japan.
“Honestly, I’m in shock. To even be here is an achievement in itself.
"To make a final is another achievement – to come away with a medal, let alone a gold medal, I’m so over the moon.
“I owe a lot of it to everyone. It just means so much, I’m so grateful for the support, for everyone waking up at home, I’m overwhelmed."
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Kye Whyte and Bethany Shriever
Image credit: Getty Images
Whyte was able to watch on in the immediate aftermath of his own medal-winning performance, with the two races scheduled back-to-back in quick succession.
The medals were number 22 and 23 of a largely successful Olympics campaign for Team GB so far.
Shriever took first place in all three of her semi-final heats and showed great familiarity with a tough course in Tokyo, exacerbated by morning rain that had delayed the start of the day's action.
“Results are out of our control so gold isn’t a set goal," explained Shriever. "It was about keeping to my routine around the track, I managed to hold on and take the win.
"It’s crazy, actually crazy. I was watching Kye and I was almost crying when he got a silver. I had to keep my cool, reset and dig in.
I had no legs, I gave it everything I got - I had nothing left. I gave it actually everything I had, and I was rewarded.
One impressed watcher was Liam Gallagher, with the former Oasis frontman a keen observer throughout the BMX action.
Gallagher tweeted his appreciation of Shriever's achievement, saying: "Bethany Shriever what a ledge well done LG x"
After Shreiver's supersonic victory, Great Britain now have six gold medals at Tokyo 2020.
Whyte was equally shocked by his silver medal after finishing second behind Niek Kimmann of the Netherlands.
He told Eurosport's Bradley Wiggins: "The was I was riding today I was scraping through second, third and fourth. I got one first today. I did two starts, one wasn't working went into the third race and said 'I'm going to change it'.
"My coach said 'are you sure?' I said yeah this isn't working. I changed it to what I thought I needed to do in the third race and had a good start, wasn't good enough but got me into the third race, obviously I won that race and in the final I just brought myself back to Manchester 2019.
"I had the fourth pick and when I got in the gate, I was between two French riders and they questioned me. I said 'it is what it is'.
"I went for the same process, picked gate four and had an absolute blinder today. Obviously Niek Kimmann was the better rider today but silver medal is brilliant."
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