Reade makes strong start in BMX competition

Three-time world champion Shanaze Reade made a speedy start to BMX qualifying at the London 2012 Olympic Velopark.

The 23-year-old from Crewe crashed out of the 2008 Olympic final in Beijing attempting a gold-medal-or-bust manoeuvre, but won the test event on the London track last summer and was among the favourites.

Reade was given a rousing ovation as the third of the 16 female riders to take to the track today for the qualifying run which would determine seedings for Friday's semi-finals and finished provisional first in 39.368 seconds.

However, the world time-trial champion Caroline Buchanan of Australia and France's Magalie Pottier, who won the world super-cross title in Birmingham, were still to come.