Aussie effort gives Liam a world ranking
By RANDALL WALKER
Kapiti’s Liam Perry can claim the honour of being the eighth best 12-year-old BMX rider in the world, after an impressive performance at the world championships in Australia last week. Liam, 11, well surpassed his goal of making the top-32 on a challenging purpose-built indoor track in the Adelaide Showgrounds.
In his three qualifying motos, he finished fourth, second and first, then claimed a third place in the eighth-finals to make his goal of the quarterfinals. He was leading his quarterfinal race when he nearly crashed and had to fight his way back to fourth to qualify for the semis. He was one of only two New Zealanders to make the semi in his UCI 12 grade and finished an impressive third to be the sole Kiwi in the eight-strong final. Being the last qualifier on time, he drew lane eight, meaning it was always going to be a tough race for him, and he was squashed out on the first corner and ended up eighth.
‘‘It was probably my worst race and I had the outside so I just got shut out and then I got up to seventh and then I screwed up the rhythm section [third straight] and went back to eighth.’’
While he would have liked a better final race, he was ‘‘real happy’’ to earn the honour of a world ranking, given only to those who finished in the top eight of their age grade. It meant for the next year he could race with a W8 number plate, which the family was going to have made.
Liam was the only rider of the four-strong Kapiti team at the worlds to make a final and the world ranking capped off a stellar season. In October he made the NZ Mighty 11 test team and finished top Kiwi rider at the first test winning the Ivan Mauger Trophy for top kiwi. He then qualified top for the second test, earning the right to captain the Kiwi side, where he again was the top rider.
He now has a month off to relax and play some rugby before getting back into training for the New Zealand BMX season which starts up again in late September.
Liam with his trophy for finishing eighth at the world championships in Australia.
The indoor track in the Adelaide showgrounds building.
Liam on the podium, far left.
Big air - Liam in one of his races.
