Moment that English cyclist Joe Truman suffers a horrific 45mph crash after colliding with a fellow rider at Commonwealth Games, leaving him unconscious and with a broken collarbone
- Joe Truman was knocked unconscious during the keirin semifinal
- The 25-year-old suffered a broken collarbone in the collision
- Truman was cared for by medics and taken to hospital after waking up
English cyclist Joe Truman was knocked unconscious after a horrific crash while racing at 75mph in the keirin, while his old housemate Jack Carlin won silver for Scotland.
Truman suffered a broken collarbone in the collision, with the 25-year-old being sent off in the final round of the keirin’s semi-final after running into Australian Matthew Glaetzer, who had already hit the deck after snapping Carlin’s steering wheel.
Olympic cycling hero Sir Chris Hoy described the impact of the fall as “about as big as you can get in cycling”.
Joe Truman was knocked unconscious after a collision with Australian Matthew Glaetzer
Truman, 25, was treated by medics after the crash and taken to hospital
Truman was motionless as he slid off the bank as the crowd fell silent and medics came to his rescue. After a painful wait, Truman finally sat up, to a huge cheer in the velodrome.
Truman was given an oxygen mask and pushed away in a wheelchair before being driven to the hospital.
Carlin, meanwhile, had managed to stay on his bike to qualify for the final, where he finished behind Nicholas Paul, a shock winner from Trinidad and Tobago.
“It’s not easy to see your friend lying on the ground like that,” said Carlin, who won world silver in the 2018 team sprint with Truman. “There’s nothing worse than seeing your buddy crash.
“He’s a teammate and I’ve lived with him for a long time. Luckily he got up and walked around, but he got a big blow to the head.’
Truman missed last year’s Olympics after a career-threatening back injury.
Carlin said: ‘Joe has had a lot of problems with injuries during his career, but he has a strong will. I don’t know if I could have come back from the things he came back from.
“This is just another hiccup for Joe, but the Olympics are still two years away and he will no doubt come back stronger than ever.”
Team GB legend Sir Chris Hoy called the crash ‘about as big as you can get in cycling’
Carlin also couldn’t hide his own disappointment when he missed out on his first major international title. The 25-year-old won silver and bronze at the Olympics last year and also won silver at the last Commonwealth Games.
“I’m clearly disappointed,” Carlin said. “It’s another silver and I came here for gold. As beautiful as medals are, there is only one you really want. Time will tell if I can get gold or not.’
Carlin’s silver followed bronze for his Scottish teammate Neah Evans in the women’s individual pursuit. The Welsh Emma Finucane defeated the English Sophie Capewell in the sprint to bronze.
After two days on the track, England have yet to win a gold medal, although Laura Kenny is in the points race today and tomorrow in the scratch.
When asked what her chances for glory were, however, the five-time Olympic champion said: ‘Smart to none. I show up and hope for the best.’
Meanwhile, an English para-cyclist has been fined for her attempts to claim a medal.
Sophie Unwin has been fined £172 for her protest at the decision not to award her a bronze medal on Friday – despite the organizers apologizing for causing her ‘distress’.
The 28-year-old finished third in Friday’s tandem B sprint after beating Scottish Libby Clegg in what has been dubbed the bronze medal race.
Unwin was in tears when she was later told that she would not receive a gong as there were only four entries in her event and according to the rules only gold and silver will be issued in such cases.
England’s Sophie Unwin (right) was fined for protesting the decision not to award her a bronze medal after finishing third in the Tandem B Sprint
During the medal ceremony, Unwin and her pilot Georgia Holt held up an English flag behind the podium before being asked to move by security.
Later, they climbed on the podium to pose for photos with borrowed bronze medals.
The world governing body of cycling, the UCI, said the penalty was for “failing to respect the organiser’s instructions”.
Birmingham Games organizers said: ‘We apologize to the athletes involved for the unintentional distress this has caused.’