BMX champ to bounce back

BMX tyro Lauren Reynolds is recharging her batteries in Bunbury after a disappointing 12th place finish at the World Championships in the Netherlands last month.

Reynolds entered the event slightly underdone after tearing her anterior cruciate ligament in a horror crash in October and could not replicate last year’s silver medal-winning performance.

“Practice and the time trials went well and I made it through the quarter-finals no problem, ” the 23-year-old said.

“In the semi I was sitting in third and made a little mistake that allowed some of the others to pass me and I just couldn’t get back into a qualifying position from there.”

Reynolds crossed the line sixth, behind winner and eventual silver medallist Alise Post.

“I was disappointed and mad at myself but I’ve digested it now and moved on, ” she said.

“My knee is feeling really good and not limiting me at all, but I haven’t raced as much as some of the others in the last few months so maybe I was just a little bit low on competition experience.”

Reynolds’ long term goal of returning to Olympic action at Rio de Janeiro in 2016 was boosted last week when law firm Slater and Gordon announced a new sponsorship agreement with the South West star. The two-year funding commitment will support Reynolds during the qualifying period as she plans a return to one of BMX’s biggest stages.

“I am absolutely honoured to be associated with such a well-known and well-respected company and stoked that they believe in me and want to be a part of my journey, ” Reynolds said.

“I’m looking forward to the next two years with them and hopefully doing some cool stuff in terms of fund-raisers and charity work.”

Reynolds will perform the coin toss before the WAFL game between Swan Districts and East Perth at Hands Oval on Saturday and will also be available for a meet and greet and autograph signing at half-time of the game.

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