American Connor Fields powered home to Olympic BMX gold after a thrilling final at the X Park on Friday. Fields trailed compatriot Nicholas Long at the halfway point of the final but produced a stunning couple of turns to take the title from Dutch rider Jelle van Gorkom.
Colombia's Carlos Alberto Ramirez Yepes was third after edging out Long in a photo finish. An ecstatic Fields, who recovered from a badly broken hand in April, threw down his bike in the finish area and leapt into the arms of his support team.
Mariana Pajon sparked noisy celebrations from a yellow army of Colombian fans as she retained her Olympic BMX title on Friday. The 24-year-old from Medellin, who became a national treasure after winning Colombia's second-ever Olympic gold medal in London, did not put a wheel out of place over the jumps and round the curves of Rio's X Park track.
She led from the start gate and was in total control as she led Alise Post of the United States and Venezuela's Stefany Hernandez across the line. Pajon lifted her bicycle above her head after finishing as the Colombian fans chanted her name.
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