TOKYO — Dutch Olympic track cyclist Laurine van Riessen is recovering in a Tokyo hospital a day after a harrowing crash in the keirin semifinals at the Izu Velodrome.
Van Riessen was briefly knocked unconscious when she collided with British rider Katy Marchant at more than 40 mph. Van Riessen remained on the apron of the track for several minutes before doctors loaded her onto a stretcher and removed her from the velodrome.
She was transferred to a Tokyo hospital and diagnosed with a broken collarbone, broken ribs and a bruised lung.
A spokesperson for the Dutch track team says Van Riessen is well but can’t remember the fall. The team doctor is with her and Van Riessen was able to make clear that the pain is mostly in her shoulder.
Van Riessen’s teammate, Shanne Braspennincx, went on to win the gold medal in keirin, a six-lap race where the first three are paced by a motorized bike and the last three are a free-for-all sprint to the finish.
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