BMX rider reveals he will contest next Olympics despite 'nightmare' crash

Liam Phillips has been described as one of the greatest riders of his generation Credit: ITV News

BMX cyclist Liam Phillips has revealed his plans to compete at Tokyo - despite being knocked unconscious at this summer's Olympics and breaking his collar bone weeks before.

The 27 year-old from Burnham-on-Sea arrived in Rio as world number 1 and favourite to claim the Olympic title. It was supposed to be the moment he finally picked up an elusive medal after crashing out in London.

Instead, all he can remember is being twisted in the air in his opening race:

Liam says he knew he could make a quick recovery

Now, a whole new light is being shed on the incident after Phillips shared images of another crash eight weeks before the Olympics. It left him with a broken collar bone and severely concussed.

The medical team told the 27 year-old he would not be able to compete, but Phillips kept the injury quiet, determined to get back on his bike.

Liam tries to get his fitness back with only days before the Olympics in Rio

By the time he was able to cycle, he only had ten days on a static bike to get back to full fitness. However, the head injury he sustained meant he was more susceptible to being knocked out.

Phillips says that if he won in Rio he would have probably retired. Yet his desire to get an Olympic medal seems, for now, to keep in motivated - even in a sport which has dealt him his fair share of knockout blows.