Liam Phillips’ workrate delivers BMX world title

Liam Phillips was yesterday crowned BMX world champion after seeing off the challenge of New Zealand’s Marc Willers and Germany’s Luis Brethauer in New Zealand.
Liam Phillips on his way to winning the Mens Elite Final. Picture: Phil Walter/GettyLiam Phillips on his way to winning the Mens Elite Final. Picture: Phil Walter/Getty
Liam Phillips on his way to winning the Mens Elite Final. Picture: Phil Walter/Getty

Phillips, who finished eighth in the men’s BMX final at last summer’s Olympic Games in London, crossed the line in Auckland a time of 23.280secs, with Willers second in 23.492 and Brethauer third in 24.377.

The 24-year-old Briton won every race on the way to the world ­championship final including all three of his moto heats. “Apart from 2011, I’ve been to every worlds since 1996 when I was a kid,” said Phillips last night. “It’s the first time I’ve won.

“We knew it would be tight and planned for this.

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“I knew my form was quite good when I won the Manchester World Cup, but then I made mistakes at the next two world cups in Europe. “I just wanted to keep the mistakes to a minimum and I managed that.”

British Cycling Olympic BMX coach Grant White said: “It’s phenomenal and he’d done the work.

“Once you’ve done the work you’re prepared and you can sit there with a bit of confidence.

“He’d done the work to be successful and that’s over a long period of time, that’s not over the last few months that’s over the last couple of years.

“He knew he’d had a great preparation over the last 12 months and he delivered.

“It’s a culmination of everything, we knew he was in the best shape of his life and came here and delivered, it’s unbelievable, fantastic.

“This year he knows he’s capable and he’s got the package. He put it all together today.”