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U.S. BMX Rider Leaves Olympic Team With Injury, Visalia Resident to Take Her Place

By Helene Elliot, LOS ANGELES TIMES

Brooke Crain from Visalia is headed to the Olympics

August 1, 2012 Updated Aug 1, 2012 at 4:08 PM PDT

BMX cyclist Arielle Martin of Spanaway, Wash., was injured during a training accident at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista and will be replaced on the U.S. Olympic BMX team by Brooke Crain of Visalia, Calif.

USA Cycling announced Wednesday that Martin, 27, was taken to Mercy Hospital in San Diego on Tuesday for treatment and is expected to make a full recovery from her injuries. She had been scheduled to leave for London on Wednesday and to compete next week.

Martin finished fourth in last year’s world championships.

Crain, 19, was third at last year’s BMX junior world championships and was ninth in last summer’s Olympic test event. She will join Alise Post on the BMX team in London.

“Arielle has worked extremely hard and was on top form heading into the Olympic Games,” Jim Miller, USA Cycling’s vice president of athletics, said in a statement.

“Unfortunately she suffered an injury in her final training session before leaving for the Games. She certainly would have contributed to our efforts in London and will be missed by the entire squad.”

To read this story at the Los Angeles Times, CLICK HERE.

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