WINDHOEK: Namibian mountain biker, Alex Miller, was unable to finish his race at the 2024 Paris Olympics after dropping out on lap three of the scheduled eight laps on Monday.

The multi-sport event features athletes competing in 329 events across 32 sports in Paris, France.

In his previous Olympic appearance in Tokyo 2021, Miller finished 31st in the mountain bike event. The 23-year-old Namibian struggled in his second appearance at the global championship which was held at Elancourt Hill.

Out of the 36 riders in the race, Miller and South African rider Alan Hatherly were the only African participants.

At the recent mountain biking championships, Thomas Pidcock, the world’s number-one ranked rider, secured his second Olympic gold medal impressively. The Great Britain rider completed the race in a time of one hour, 26 minutes, and 22 seconds (01:26:22) to resonate his first gold medal win three years ago at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in Japan.

South African rider Hatherly clinched a bronze medal at this year
‘s championships, while French rider Victor Koretzky took home the silver medal after completing the 35.2-kilometre (km) race, which required riders to complete eight laps of a 4.4-kilometre course.

Koretzky and Hatherly were just nine and 11 seconds behind the winner.

Team Namibia has four athletes representing the country at this year’s Olympics. The athletes will compete in cycling (road and mountain biking), swimming, and marathon running.

The next Namibian cyclist expected to represent the country will be Vera Looser, who will compete in the women’s road race scheduled for Sunday, 04 August 2024.

At the previous championships in Tokyo 2021, Namibia earned a silver medal in the women’s 200-meter sprint. Christine Mboma ended Namibia’s 22-year medal drought at the Olympics.

Source: The Namibia News Agency