Watch: British Katy Marchant breaks arm in terrifying collision

Britain’s Katy Marchant suffered a broken arm and the final round of the UCI Track Champions League was canceled after a nasty crash at the Lee Valley VeloPark on Saturday evening.

Marchant, who won team gold in the women’s sprint at the Summer Olympics in Paris, was catapulted over a barrier and into the crowd after colliding with German rider Alessa-Catriona Propster.

A medical team treated Marchant for half an hour before she was taken to hospital. Four spectators were also reported to have been injured at the London 2012 venue in Stratford, but no one had to go to hospital.

Propster was on the inside of Marchant on the first lap of the women’s keirin when she came high on the track and collided violently with the British rider, propelling the pair over the barriers.

British Cycling confirmed on Sunday morning that Marchant had broken her arm, saying in a statement: “After receiving immediate medical attention from the medical team at the track, Katy was accompanied by the British Cycling doctor to hospital where she underwent X-rays which confirmed a broken radius and ulna in her right forearm, as well as two dislocated fingers.

“Katy is in good spirits and is being well cared for by her medical team. We wish her a full and speedy recovery.”

Propster also required medical attention, with television cameras moving away from the incident and the crowd falling silent before racing was halted and fans were asked to leave.

Adam Blythe, the former British cyclist, said on Eurosport after the crash: “I’ve got people up there giving me feedback and I’ve also heard from a few of her teammates that Katy Marchant is fine. .

“Just a broken forearm and it’s a bit of a shock. There were a few members of the public who were involved and they too appear to be fine. Everyone’s condition is good, although Katy broke her forearm.

“The race has been canceled for tonight because of that crash, so it’s a disappointment, but the good news and the most important thing is that everyone is fine and in good condition. Enough to get up and walk home tonight.”

British Cycling said in a statement: “WBD Sports [the broadcaster]British Cycling, Lee Valley VeloPark and the Union Cycliste Internationale have unanimously decided to suspend all further racing for this evening and would like to send their best wishes for a speedy recovery to both the riders and all affected spectators.

“We would like to thank the medical staff for their quick response and continued support. We are working closely with all parties to assess the incident before taking appropriate action. No further comment will be made at this time.”

The crash mirrored the incident at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, when Olympic champion Matt Walls was one of three riders hospitalized after a horrific crash.

Walls, who won omnium gold at Tokyo 2021, was sent flying over the barriers and into the crowd at the London 2012 velodrome as he tried to take evasive action to avoid a collision in front of him.

A number of spectators, including a little girl, were injured in the dramatic incident, which led to Dame Laura Kenny, the five-time Olympic champion, calling for larger barriers or screens to be installed in velodromes.

“Maybe there should be screens because Matt shouldn’t have been able to go over the top into the crowd, that’s pretty damn dangerous,” Kenny said at the time. “It’s now the third time I’ve been to a velodrome and witnessed someone going over the top.”

Earlier this year the VeloPark installed a 1.4 meter high barrier, at a cost of around £250,000, but that did not stop Marchant and Propster from landing among the spectators on Saturday evening.

Meanwhile, Britain’s Katie Archibald, who missed the Olympics after a freak accident, secured the women’s endurance title in the Champions League.

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