Australian BMX star Izaac Kennedy says his Olympic hopes remain intact despite the season-ending injury he suffered in the lead-up to the World Championships in Glasgow.
Kennedy ruptured the anterior cruciate, medial collateral and posterior cruciate ligaments in his left knee during a crash while racing in Nevada, USA, last weekend.
Australia's top-ranked BMX rider also fractured the tibia in his left ankle.
The injury happened less than a month before the beginning of the World Championships in Scotland, crushing the 22-year-old's hopes of excelling on the global stage.
But Kennedy remains determined to deliver at the Paris Olympics next year, and is confident he can still achieve his goals there.
“I was lucky to fly out to Colorado and get in (hospital) straight away and get checked out by some great doctors," Kennedy said.
"I am now planning on heading back to Australia later this week to get the rehab done with the team back home.
"I’m super-motivated to smash it and get back to riding as soon as possible.
“It’s going to be a big summer next year and none of those plans or goals have changed.
"I know myself and the team around me will do everything we can to prepare as best as possible.
“It’s a pretty tough pill to swallow with the World Championships in Glasgow coming up in a few weeks.
"Along with how races have gone for me this year I have been more motivated than ever to make it happen.
“It kind of feels like the world is over for the time being but I’m grateful to have some awesome people around me that are keeping the spirits high."
Kennedy currently sits fourth in the UCI world rankings and third for the USA BMX Pro Series.
The Australian team for the World Championships will be announced on July 18.
Kennedy said it didn't take him long to realise the severity of his injuries.
“I sort of knew as soon as I crashed that something wasn’t right," he said.
"I had a lot of pain in my leg but when I tried to get up and I saw my knee twist, that’s when I started stressing a bit.
"It wasn’t much of a surprise hearing the news from the doctors for the knee injury; more of just a bummer to really hear it be true."
