BMX rider earns spot on U.S. Olympic team

Published 5:00 am Sunday, June 15, 2008

Mike Day won the U.S. BMX trials in Chula Vista, Calif., a dominant performance that secured a spot on the three-man team that will represent America when BMX makes its Olympic debut in Beijing this summer.

Knowing his only way onto the Olympic team was to win the trials, Day set the tone by winning the first race and eventually held such a large points lead that the final heat of the day was canceled because no one could mathematically catch him.

Day joins Kyle Bennett on the U.S. squad; Bennett was exempt from the trials because he won USA Cycling’s yearlong Olympic points qualifying competition. Day’s eyes were red with tears when he, Bennett and women’s BMX Olympic qualifier Jill Kintner were summoned to receive the jerseys they’ll wear in Beijing.

The third spot on the men’s Olympic BMX team — a discretionary selection by the team’s coaches — will almost certainly be awarded to Donny Robinson, the world’s top-ranked BMX racer. Robinson finished second overall Saturday.

—From wire reports