Beth Shriever

Winning an Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Games (held in 2021) in women’s BMX racing, Beth Shriever made history as the first member of Team GB to earn a medal in the sport. Her path to this pinnacle began with early recognition, securing a silver medal at the 2016 BMX European Cycling Championships and becoming the Junior World Champion in 2017. Despite facing significant funding challenges after UK Sport reallocated resources post-2016 Rio Olympics, primarily supporting male riders, Shriever demonstrated unwavering perseverance. She worked part-time as a teaching assistant at the Stephen Perse Foundation and successfully crowdfunded to cover her training and travel expenses, showcasing her profound commitment to elite competition.

Shriever continued her dominant trajectory, securing a UCI BMX Supercross World Cup Final win in Zolder in 2018. Following her Olympic triumph, she further solidified her status by clinching gold at the 2021 UCI BMX World Championships. This was followed by another gold at the 2022 European BMX Championships, making her the first BMX racing cyclist to simultaneously hold Olympic, World, and European titles – a rare feat previously only matched by Mariana Pajón. Her consistency at the highest level underscored her ability to perform under immense pressure and maintain peak condition across major international events.

Following her courageous performance at the Paris Games, Shriever underwent further surgery to address a loose screw from her prior collarbone repair, highlighting her dedication to long-term recovery and sustained excellence. Throughout these challenges, she has consistently returned to the track, actively contending for top honors in major competitions, including UCI World Cup events and World Championships, firmly establishing her legacy as a top-tier athlete in the global BMX racing circuit.