'Scary scenes': Tokyo Olympics rocked by 'horrific' crashes in BMX
The Tokyo Olympics has been rocked by scary scenes in the BMX with Connor Fields and Saya Sakakibara suffering horror crashes within minutes of each other.
Reigning Olympic BMX gold medallist Fields was rushed to hospital following a shocking crash at the Tokyo Games on Friday.
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The American was carried off on a stretcher after crashing in the third qualifying heat on Friday.
Fields was fourth after his opening two heats and landed hard off a jump heading into the first turn in the second heat.
The 28-year-old from Las Vegas slammed into the turn and lay on the track as medical personnel rushed out to help him.
Fields was attended to for several minutes before being carried away on a stretcher.
He was then loaded into an ambulance and transported to hospital.
Fields had qualified for the finals, but will not be able to race.
There was then more carnage when Australian rider Sakakibara went down just minutes later.
Sakakibara is racing for her brother Kai, who was seriously injured in a crash last year.
BMX world stunned by shocking Connor Fields crash
Fields became the first American to win BMX gold at the 2016 Olympics in Rio and was a favourite to win it again in Tokyo.
Fans and commentators were left holding their breath for Fields and Sakakibara.
Now Australia's Saya Sakakibara is being attended to on the track after crashing. Alise Willoughby also crashed for the second time in three heats and won't make the finals. Two of the Americans' gold medal favorites in BMX racing won't be in the final.
— John Marshall (@jmarshallap) July 30, 2021
Really scary scenes in the #BMXRacing semi-finals with Aussie Saya Sakakibara being stretchered off after a scary looking fall while leading. Fingers crossed she's OK. Her brother Kai was seriously injured in a crash in 2020. #Tokyo2020
— Mark Gottlieb (@MarkGottlieb) July 30, 2021
Absolute horror crash in the semis of BMX racing. Defending gold medalist Connor Fields has to be carried off the course on a stretcher. Brutal.
— Tumaini Carayol (@tumcarayol) July 30, 2021
American Connor Fields has been taken off the BMX racing course in a stretcher after an awful crash on the track's first turn during heat 3. #tokoyoolympics
— Stacy St. Clair (@StacyStClair) July 30, 2021
horrific crash, hope connor fields is okay. #BMXRacing
— dzk (@dzakdelarocha) July 30, 2021
God, that crash was horrific. Hope Connor Fields is okay. #BMXRacing
— L (@giveawaytheend) July 30, 2021
with Associated Press
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