YESTERDAY saw hundreds of keen BMXers between the ages of five to 13 given the chance to demonstrate their skills on the biggest stage of all — the UCI BMX World Championships.
South African participation was strong, with 83 local riders taking part in the day’s racing.
For six-year-old Johannesburg BMX rider Cameron du Bruyn, though, yesterday was spent in the stands with the rest of the 2 000 spectators.
Du Bruyn injured himself seriously at a South African national event in Johannesburg at the Alroad BMX track when he crashed out in his first moto on July 11, the same day the Fifa World Cup tournament wrapped up.
After vomiting, Du Bruyn was taken to hospital where a CT scan revealed the extent of his injuries — a burst liver, ruptured spleen and fluid on the lung.
Du Bruyn was in an intensive care unit for 10 days while his injuries were treated and the fluids were drained from his body.
De Bruyn looked set to excel at the World Championships in Pietermaritzburg. He is currently leading the standings in the South African National Championships in the “6 Boys” category. Even though he will miss the last two meets in the series because of his injury, he is leading by a margin so large that he is all but guaranteed victory.
Deon du Bruyn, Cameron’s father, says the injuries have not stopped Cameron from wanting to continue in the sport.
“He won’t be able to get back on a bike for at least six months,” he said.
“But it will be his choice and right now all indications suggest that he is eager to get back into it.”
Du Bruyn added that the two South African riders who managed to make the finals of the World Championships in the Boys 6 category yesterday should be congratulated.
“We don’t want to take anything away from them at all. They really did well and deserved to make the finals,” he said.
