Shanaze Reade 2008

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Beijing awoke to heavy rain this morning, and as the weather gradually deteriorated even further, the organisers of the Olympic Games decided to postpone the BMX competition.

Both the men?s and women?s semi-finals and finals were due to be held between 9am and 11am this morning, but the rain put and end to that. The water makes the steep wooden start ramp too slippery and the course itself too slow for the riders to safely clear the numerous jumps, meaning the covers were brought out and the action put back to Friday.

Great Britain?s Shanaze Reade yesterday qualified second fastest in the women?s event behind former downhill and four-cross world champion Anne-Caroline Chausson of France, while Liam Philips did not make it past yesterday?s qualifying rounds.

Reade is the current world champion, a title she won on this course in Laoshan earlier in the year, and the event was always likely to be a two-way tussle between her and the Frenchwoman. With the Games finishing on Sunday, if the weather does not improve enough to allow the event to be completed, medals will be awarded on qualification positions, meaning a silver for Reade.

Update Chinese TV is reporting that tomorrow [Friday] the weather should be good in Beijing, allowing the BMX - cancelled today - finally to go ahead. The women?s MTB race (in which GB has nobody competing) has now been postponed to Saturday and will take place before the men?s race, which remains in its scheduled slot.

BMX qualifying

1. Anne-Caroline Chausson (FRA) 36.660 seconds

2. Shanaze Reade (GBR) 36.882

3. Laetitia le Corguille (FRA) 37.145

4. Sarah Walker (NZL) 37.187

5. Gabriela Diaz (ARG) 37.590

6. Nicole Callisto (AUS) 37.717

7. Jill Kintner (USA) 37.913

8. Jana Horakova (CZE) 38.077

9. Jenny Fahndrich (SUI) 38.209

10. Tanya Bailey (AUS) 38.285

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OLYMPIC GAMES 2008: TRACK

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Day four as it happened: Team pursuit gold and another world record

Day three summary: Gold for Romero. Pendleton, Hoy in charge in sprints. Kenny the revelation

From rower to cyclist: Romero takes an emotional gold

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Preview: Monday at the Laoshan

Day two in pictures

Sunday's action as it happened

Preview: Sunday at the Laoshan

Day two at the track: Summary of the action

Hoy and Edgar clean up in the Keirin

Wiggins gets pursuit gold, Burke wins bronze

Newton storms to bronze in points race

Saturday's action as it happened: Two gold, a silver and two bronze for Britain

Blog: Life in Laoshan

Day one in pictures

Brits blast to team sprint gold

Day one at the track: Summary of the action

Friday's action as it happened: Gold for team sprint trio; Wiggins, Houvenaghel and Romero well in control

Burke blasts to new individual pursuit PB

British track stars raring to go

What makes the Laoshan such a challenge

Picture special: CW takes you inside the Laoshan velodrome

Saturday's preview

Friday's preview

Can these legs make an Olympic champion?

Cavendish unlikely to ride individual pursuit

How many medals will Britain's riders win?

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OLYMPIC GAMES 2008: NEWS

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OLYMPIC GAMES 2008: ROAD

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Women's time trial reaction: I feel fantastic, says Pooley

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Analysis: women's road race

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Tactical analysis: Reading the men?s Olympic road race

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Brailsford confident ahead of women?s road race

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OLYMPIC GAMES 2008: GUIDE

Olympic Games 2008 homepage>>

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