Colombian Olympic champion Mariana Pajon and American Connor Fields have won the first elite gold medals at the BMX world championships in Auckland.
Pajon, who headed off New Zealand's Sarah Walker in the women's final at last year's London Olympics, won the time trial gold at Vector Arena on Saturday.
She qualified fastest in the women's field and then produced the quickest time in the top-16 run-off on the tight 300m track of 25.153sec.
That was 0.342sec faster than American Alise Post, with Australia's Caroline Buchanan third.
New Zealander Sarah Walker, who qualified second quickest, could only manage sixth quickest in the run-off.
Walker's preparations were seriously hampered when she fractured her right forearm while training in Illinois nearly five weeks ago.
She has trained in pain this week and wasn't expecting a peak performance.
Defending champion Fields was the fastest qualifier for the men's run-off and improved his time in his second run, clocking 22.598sec.
Joris Daudet was second and French compatriot Sylvain Andre third.
Pukekohe's Trent Woodcock was the top New Zealander, finishing 15th in the run-off.
The elite race gold medals will be contested on the final day of the championships on Sunday.
Share
