Spill keeps champ from higher spot

BIKE KING: Luke Brooke-Smith, 8, at the World BMX Championships in Medellin, Colombia.PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Young gun Luke Brooke-Smith shows no sign of back-pedalling in his BMX quest.

The 8-year-old recently competed at the World BMX Championships in Medellin, Colombia.

Riding in the 8-year-old boys category, he finished seventh overall.

Brooke-Smith cruised into the final, winning both his quarter-final and semifinal races.

Unfortunately, an early spill in the final cost him a high-placing finish.

He has been working towards a world final since last year's championships, where he crashed in the eighth finals and was unable to finish his race.

His parents said the family were stoked with his efforts.

"Luke is very happy and proud of himself as are we. He spends a lot of time at the BMX Club training," they said. "Whangarei BMX club will be hosting the North Island in October 2017 which will be major for the club." Brooke-Smith can now add the moniker of one of the top BMX riders in the world for his age to his long list of accolades.

He is ranked number one in the Auckland region, North Island, New Zealand and Oceania.

Because of his placing, Brooke-Smith qualifies for next year's World BMX Championships in South Carolina, US.