Olympic champion Beth Shriever insists fracturing her collarbone just three months out from the Paris 2024 Games is the perfect preparation to defend her title.
The 25-year-old was a surprise gold medallist at Tokyo 2020, as the East Londoner beat her own idol and two-time champion Mariana Pajon to top spot on the podium.
Shriever has proved it was no flash in the pan with a pair of world titles in 2021 and 2023 but relinquished her crown in May after crashing out in the semi-final, where she picked up her injury.
But the defending champion heading into Paris 2024 believes time on the treatment table has helped her quest to alleviate any pressure heading into the Games.
“Not many people know but four months out of Tokyo I dislocated my shoulder so I have been in this situation before,” said Shriever, who is an ambassador for Old El Paso ahead of Paris 2024.
“My prep has gone really well, I have got an amazing team around me who have been helping me with that. I think it is a bit of a blessing in disguise, not fully being obsessed with the Games, I am focussing on the here and now, week by week getting better and focussing on getting stronger and fitter. I can’t believe how quick I have been recovering from it all.
“I am going in with the mentality of I am not necessarily defending it because I will always have that gold medal to my name now, I will always be a gold medallist. It is a clean slate in Paris, it’s anyone’s game.
“If I look at it in that way, it does take the pressure off quite a bit. You have got to be open-minded to view it in different ways because otherwise, the pressure can just consume you and then it doesn’t go well.
“It has been good to openly talk about these things and get prepared for it.”
Old El Paso are joining forces with Team GB over a shared goal of creating more connection this summer, with Team GB uniting the nation in support of their athletes and Old El Paso best enjoyed with friends and families around the table.
Shriever has been working with a psychologist to deal with the pressure of being the one to beat over the past few years, a marked change from before Tokyo.
The 25-year-old also admitted the rest of her life away from two wheels has also been turned upside down, with her medal a golden ticket to some of the biggest events in the calendar.
“My life is completely different,” she added. “This time around I have got all these titles under my belt which is crazy but also injuries along the way which we weren’t too sure on.
“Going in as defending champion, it is pretty crazy to be honest.
“As soon as we got back from Tokyo, we were in red carpet events and mingling with all these celebrities, it’s a completely different world. It’s mad, it’s absolutely mad.”
More importantly, her status as Olympic champion has allowed her to train full-time and access world-class facilities.
It is a stark contrast to Shriever’s time spent working part-time in a nursery to help fund her path to Tokyo after no funding was available for female BMX riders.
Shriever has reaped the rewards of being a professional athlete and wants to use her platform in Paris to inspire the next generation of female riders – starting with a second Olympic gold.
“We have had a lot more interest, a lot more help, a lot more support which has been great,” she said.
“The fact that more girls are coming through the British Cycling programme is amazing, because at one point it was just me.
“To see these young girls stepping up, wanting to push themselves and be part of it, it’s incredible. The future is bright, we just have to keep pushing it really.
“We have already seen an influx of younger girl riders. I want to be able to encourage more girls to get involved because for me there was no evidence that you could make it as a woman BMX athlete.
“Now they have seen it, it has encouraged way more girls to get involved. I want to help guide girls with the BMX career and show them what you can do. It’s a big part for me. That’s why I always give time to people because I was in their situation once.
“I could have retired there and then, Olympic champion, world title all in the same year. It was like ‘What’s next?’ I sat down with my psychologist, my coach and said what do we want to achieve?
“There were a few things in there like wanting to be the greatest of all time, wanting to get World Cup titles but the main thing for me was making the most of being an athlete.
“It doesn’t last forever so making the absolute most of it, giving it my best every single day and creating a legacy for the next generation.”
With the Paris 2024 Olympic Games just days away, Old El Paso is excited to unveil a heartwarming behind-the-scenes film featuring their ‘Home Team Heroes:’ Tom Dean, Bethany Shriever, Jack Laugher, Emily Campbell, and Kye Whyte
