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- Dutch BMX rider Niek Kimmann won Olympic gold, four days after a freak crash put his games in doubt.
- The 25-year-old crashed into a steward who crossed the track during a practice run on Monday, injuring himself.
- Kimmann said that painkillers kept him going and enabled him to compete, ultimately winning gold.
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Dutch BMX rider Niek Kimmann took gold in the men's cycling BMX racing at the Tokyo Olympics to cap a remarkable week that almost saw him miss the final.
Going into the games, the 25-year-old was one of the favorites for the competition but his chances took a serious hit when he had a freak collision with a steward that crossed the track during a practice run on Monday.
As Kimmann travelled at high speed, a steward attempted to cross the track but did not make it in time, leading to a nasty collision that caused an injury to one of the Dutchman's knees.
After the crash, Kimmann said he feared he may not be able to race in the competitive part of the games.
-7Olympics (@7olympics) July 27, 2021
Four days later and not only was Kimmann able to compete, he was able to win gold, beating Team GB's Kye Whyte by 0.114 seconds to take the Olympic title and help put to bed the curse that seemed to afflict the Dutch cycling team earlier this week.
Competing in his second senior Olympics having appeared at Rio 2016 and the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics, Kimmann led from the first corner in the final at the Ariake Urban Sports Park.
Dressed in Dutch orange, Kimmann established an early lead as Whyte unsuccessfully attempted to reel him in.
After the race, Kimmann said he thought his "dream was over" following the crash.
"The last few weeks I've felt in the best shape ever. Of course there was a lot of pressure, but I was confident and then I hit that official and I felt like my dream was over. But luckily with painkillers that dream was still alive. I just kept believing.
"Like I said, I felt so good in the last weeks, I thought that painkillers and my adrenaline would do the job, and they did," Kimmann said.
Kimmann's gold is the third for the Netherlands at the games, following Annemiek van Vleuten's win in the women's cycling time trial, and the victory of the men's quadruple sculls team in rowing.