Dodd's Olympic dream runs its course

Cape Town - South African BMX rider, Kyle Dodd has had his hopes of Olympic glory dashed after missing out on qualification for the semi-finals by the narrowest of margins.

Dodd was tied with 2012 gold medalist Maris Strombergs and Switzerland's David Graf on 14 points after three runs but his inferior placing in the final round saw both he, and Strombergs eliminated.

Dodd managed a fourth place finish in the first run as a big crash took out defending Olympic champion Strombergs as well as the man who was second quickest in the seeding run, Graf.

In the second run Dodd was unfortunate to be caught up in another crash and would finish fifth after getting up just behind Strombergs who pedaled home in fourth.

Dodd was left well placed due to the crashes in the first two runs, but a fifth place in the final run saw him lose out on qualification for the semi-finals after a final run victory for Graf left him tied on points with Dodd and Strombergs.

Other qualifiers from Dodd's heat were Jefferson Milano and Tory Nyhaug who avoided both early crashes.