Olympic BMX champion Niek Kimmann has been surprisingly selected for the World Championships, which will be held in Copenhagen in three weeks. The Gelderlander made his comeback last weekend after a year of absence due to an inflamed heart muscle.
According to cycling federation KNWU, a final decision on Kimmann’s participation will be made just before the start of the World Championships, but he is included in the World Championship selection of national coach Theo Bos.
The 29-year-old Kimmann was diagnosed last year with an inflamed heart muscle, which forced him to miss the Olympic Games in Paris. Three years earlier, he became Olympic champion with a fractured kneecap.
Kimmann had to rehabilitate for more than a year and made his comeback on Sunday at the Dutch National Championships in Barendrecht. He finished seventh after finishing last in the first two of the three heats.
Kimmann has a good relationship with the World Championships: he has already become world champion three times, in 2015, 2016 and 2021. Last year, just before his diagnosis, he took silver at the World Championships in Rock Hill, USA, behind French world champion Joris Daudet.
Kimmann’s younger brother Justin is also in the World Championship selection of the Dutch BMX riders. In the women’s category, two-time world champion Laura Smulders and her younger sister Merel Smulders have been selected.
Dutch BMX selection for World Championships
MenNiek Kimmann
Jaymio Brink
Mitchel Schotman
Brian van Eeuwijk
Ynze Oegema
Justin Kimmann
WomenManon Veenstra
Laura Smulders
Judy Baauw
Indy Scheepers
Merel Smulders
Amber Walravens