The track cycling competitions at the Commonwealth Games in England have been overshadowed by serious falls. There was a spectacular mass crash in the scratch race in London on Sunday, in which the British Olympic champion Matt Walls flew over the boards into the spectator stands. Several drivers and spectators suffered injuries. The session was then terminated.
Walls tried to avoid a fall further down the track but hit another wheel and took off. He was treated in the stands for over half an hour before being taken to hospital.
The English team then gave the all-clear. Walls is fine, the fall could have been worse. He was “awake and speaking (as always). He’s getting medical treatment in the hospital.” The 24-year-old won gold in the Omnium and silver in the Madison at the Tokyo Olympics.
A spectator was taken away in a wheelchair after the crash, covered in blood. A total of eight drivers crashed on the last lap of the qualifying race, which was at full speed. In addition to Walls, Matthew Bostock was also taken to the hospital.
A bad fall had already occurred in the Keirin competition on Saturday, when Brit Joe Truman and Australian Matthew Glaetzer collided. Truman briefly lost consciousness and was later transported in a wheelchair with an oxygen mask.
He suffered a broken collarbone and a concussion. At the Commonwealth Games, athletes from the countries of the confederation compete every four years.
