Colombia's Pajon flies to gold in women's BMX

Colombia's Mariana Pajon pedalled and jumped to gold in the women's Olympic BMX final Friday.

Colombia's Mariana Pajon pedalled and jumped to gold in the women's Olympic BMX final Friday.

Britain's Shanaze Read and 2008 silver medallist Laetitia le Corguille of France failed to make an impression as Pajon charged to the head of the field at the start and stayed there, eventually winning by almost two bike lengths.

Silver went to Sarah Walker of New Zealand, who followed Pajon on her charge, while bronze medallist Laura Smulders of the Netherlands took third place after diving past le Corguille on the inside of a banked hairpin bend halfway around the track.