Hackney claimed bronze at the London Youth Games 2021 BMX event, which was held at Hayes BMX Track on Sunday.
With 20 boroughs competing, Hackney finished third behind 2019 champions Southwark, who won silver, and host borough Hillingdon, who took home gold.
Hackney’s riders included Noah Klein, Katie Millar, Sidonie Cleave, Thomas Millar, Phoebe Gaynor, Ellis Perez Adamson, Etta Cleave, Molly Fumey-Carroll, Rufus Cousineau, Donell Richards and Ossie Dixon.
Individual medals were won by Katie Millar (gold), Sidonie Cleave (silver), Thomas Millar (bronze), Phoebe Gaynor (gold), Etta Cleave (silver), Molly Fumey-Carroll (gold), Rufus Cousineau (silver) and Donell Richards (bronze).
“Today was a great event,” said Hackney’s Phoebe Gaynor, who won the 15-16-year-old female expert category. “There’s always such a great energy when we come to the London Youth Games.
"I’m really happy to have won a gold medal but I’m even more proud of our team for getting on the podium.
"There’s not been many competitions recently because of Covid. This has been the first big London one. It feels good to be back competing again.”
“I thought it was an amazing event,” said London Youth Games CEO, Andy Dalby-Welsh. “Young people’s physical and mental health has been challenged during the last 18 months so to see them out supporting one another, competing against one another, and doing it with a smile on their faces has been brilliant.”
Saturday’s riders could be hoping to follow in the tracks of Kye Whyte, who previously competed for Southwark at the London Youth Games and is now representing Team GB at the Tokyo Olympics.
Nigel Whyte, Kye’s father, who was at the London Youth Games event, said: “It’s been a great day for all the kids. Events like this are really important. Especially after the year we’ve had. It gives everyone the chance to have a go and helps gets kids off the road and on to bikes.”
Hackney, along with joint winners Hillingdon, also received the Respect The Games award, which celebrates the borough that best exemplifies the London Youth Games values of Fairness, Ambition, Inclusion and Respect.
The London Youth Games has been using the power of competitive sport to create life-changing opportunities for young Londoners for over 40 years.
It has provided a pathway for some of the greatest athletes to come from the city. Dina Asher-Smith, Raheem Sterling, Alex Scott, David Weir and Mo Farah all had the opportunity to represent their boroughs growing up.
Having been forced to cut short its 2020 season due to the Covid-19 pandemic, London Youth Games is delighted to be back delivering live sport for young Londoners at a time when they need it most.
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