USA Olympic Team Trials This Weekend
Gilbert, AZ: After three weekends of qualifying in Oldsmar, Florida; Rock Hill, South Carolina; and Grand Junction, Colorado; the field of riders for the last chance qualifier has been narrowed down.
Riders competing in the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) will be racing in a winner take all race for the final and eighth spot at the United States BMX Olympic Trials. The winner of the Olympic Trials will represent the United States of America at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
USA BMX CEO, Bernard Anderson had this to say about the event, “The LCQ is one of the most exciting things we have created in BMX racing. The event opens the door for any one of the qualified riders to earn a spot at the Olympic Trials. Both Pro and Amateur can potentially become an Olympian. This is a list of extremely talented riders and we can’t wait to see who earns their spot.”
The last chance qualifier will occur the day before the United States BMX Olympic Trials in Chula Vista, California. Riders from around the United States, in amateur and professional categories, were able to qualify by competing in four of the six races offered. The best four scores were used to determine qualified riders. The Last Chance Qualifier will take place on Friday, June 10 on the Beijing replica track at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California. Practice starts at 8:30 AM and racing begins at 9:30 AM. The winner of this race will advance to the United States BMX Olympic Trials on Saturday, June 11, at the Rio replica track at the Olympic Training Center.
The following 17 riders have qualified to compete in the Last Chance Qualifier:
Amateur Qualifiers:
Alec Bob – Plano, Texas
Michael Boyle – Boise, Idaho
Bryce Betts – Brentwood, California
A Pro Qualifiers:
Hunter Pelham – Willis, Texas
Jordan Miranda – Bakersfield, California
Layne Gainer – Mesa, Arizona
Zachary VanKammen – Lake Elsinore, California
Men Elite Qualifiers:
Kenneth Gustafson – Ponca City, Oklahoma
Elliot McGrath – New Hope, Minnesota
Thomas Zula – Huber Heights, Ohio
Kyle McRory – Bridgeville, Pennsylvania
Jeremy Smith – Dayton, Ohio
Tyler Whitfield – Rockford, Illinois
Tyler Brown – Chula Vista, California
Riley Stair – Folsom, California
Tyler Faoro – Coral Springs, Florida
Logan Collins – Mt. Juliet, Tennessee
While one of the 17 riders will have the opportunity to continue their Olympic dream, one rider has already fulfilled that dream. Nic Long of Lakeside, California placed 3rd over the weekend in Medellin, Colombia at the 2016 UCI BMX World Championships. By virtue of his finish, Long earned an automatic spot on the 2016 United States Olympic Team. Long was also a member of the 2012 United States Olympic Team.
One of the two remaining spots on the men’s team will be filled by the winner of the BMX Olympic Trials. The eight rider field will consist of the winner of the LCQ and seven riders chosen by USA Cycling, the National Governing Body for the sport of cycling.
Corben Sharrah (Tucson, AZ) earned 1 of the 8 spots in the Olympic Trials by having a podium finish at the UCI Supercross World Cup in Santiago Del Estero, Argentina and his top 5 standing in the power rankings. Jeffrey Upshaw (Dayton, OH) and Jared Garcia (Victorville, CA) earned spots by being ranked in the top 5 in the USA Cycling BMX Power Rankings. The remaining four spots were filled using USA Cycling’s Principles of Athlete Selection. The four spots went to Tanner Sebesta (Buda, TX), Barry Nobles (Sun City, CA), Justin Posey (Winston-Salem, NC), and David Herman (Wheat Ridge, CO). Herman was a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team. The seven riders will be joined by the winner of the LCQ.
The Olympic Trials will be held Saturday, June 11 at the United States Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California. Gates will open at 12:30 PM and racing will start at 2:50 PM. Tickets are available at the gate and are $10.
Last Chance Qualifier Live Stream
U.S. Olympic Trials Airtime on NBCsports
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