The postponement of the World BMX Championships has been a big blow for Medway racer Reuben Smith but he hasn’t stopped training.

Rochester rider Smith should have taken part in the worlds in Houston, Texas in May and he would now normally expect to be in the thick of the action in the Regional and National BMX race championships.

The young BMX ace said: “Following competing in my first world championships last year in Zolder, Belgium, where I came 27th overall in my age group and the second best British rider, I was so looking forward to racing in America, the home of BMX, against the best in the world.”

Smith has instead been working hard for the last 14 weeks, often indoors, with training sessions over Zoom, but tracks are now reopening and he’s had the chance to blow off some of the cobwebs recently.

He’s taken to BMX tracks at Greenwich, Runnymead and Hayes and was pleased to discover his skills are still up to standards but knows work needs to be done on his fitness.

Mother Maria Smith said: “2020 has brought many challenges with the lockdown, school education on-line and being separated from peers and dear family abroad.

“This young man has had his head down and completed all challenges with integrity. He has remained focussed and driven.”

With this year’s world championship postponed indefinitely his focus will now switch to the 2021 event in Papandalle, Belgium.

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