Nyhaug wins BMX Pan Am gold in dominant fashion

Tory Nyhaug has made the most of Canada’s home Games at TO2015 by completely dominating the men’s BMX event to win gold on Saturday.

The races at the Centennial Park Pan Am BMX Centre in Etobicoke saw Nyhaug win all three of his quarterfinal runs from Heat 1. Then he overpowered the opposition in the semifinal from start to finish.

Tory Nyhaug bites his Pan Am gold medal after winning the men's BMX event on July 11, 2015.

Tory Nyhaug bites his Pan Am gold medal after winning the men’s BMX event on July 11, 2015.

In the final, Nyhaug got a bit more heat from the opposition, but it was nothing he couldn’t handle as he took the title with a kind of confidence that has become commonplace for the 23-year old cycling superstar, who – barring any setbacks – will be a Canadian medal threat at Rio 2016.

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“I knew if I got into the first turn clean I’d be fine,” Nyhaug said post-race.“I was running the track great all day, but I had to really battle and shove my way in. It was amazing.”

The British Columbia-born Nyhaug feels having a BMX track in Eastern Canada will do wonders for the sport, which had a packed main stand and thousands of onlookers in a nearby hill.

Tory Nyhaug races from the front at men's BMX Pan Am Games competition on July 11, 2015.

Tory Nyhaug races from the front at men’s BMX Pan Am Games competition on July 11, 2015.

“My parents are in the stands, and to win this on home soil is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

“We’ve had so much fun this week at home. I didn’t feel any extra pressure from it, I knew they were supportive. I knew no matter what my parents were going to give me a big hug at the end of the race. I’m so happy they were here.”

Alfredo Campo Vintmilla of Colombia and Nicholas Long of United States finished second and third to Nyhaug, who was the only Canadian to make the men’s or women’s BMX final on Saturday.