BMX star Shanaze join's borough sporting honour roll

WORLD BMX champion Shanaze Reade has been admitted to Crewe and Nantwich Borough's Sporting Roll of Honour.

The 19-year-old, from Chetwode Street in Crewe, is being recognised for her contribution to the sport of BMX and track cycling.

Shanaze, who is double World Velodrome Cycling Champion, was presented with a framed certificate at a ceremony at Crewe's Municipal Buildings yesterday.

Shanaze has backed a number of cycling initiatives in the borough and last year she was awarded the mayor's Oscar for Sports Personality Of The Year.

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See Shanaze Reade's misfortune during Beijing 2008

She had also been the favourite to take home the crown in the BMX racing at this year's Beijing Olympics.

But despite finishing the fastest of all racers in the third semi-final heat, she succumbed to the pressure of the final. A crash on the last bend left France's Anne-Caroline Chausson clear to sprint for gold.

Shanaze said: "I have achieved a lot of things in cycling but for these achievements to be recognised by the people of Crewe is fantastic and something which will stay with me until the day I die.

"When I was told my name would be going on the borough's Sporting Roll of Honour I didn't really know what to expect.

"The people of Crewe have been so supportive towards me and the town will always be my home. Despite what I've achieved my feet remain firmly on the ground and my roots will always lie in Crewe."

Shanaze started racing when she was 10-years-old at Tipkinder Park in Crewe. Nine years on and she has three World, eight European and five British BMX championships under her belt.

She is also a champion track racer, riding on Velodromes, and won the Team Sprint with Victoria Pendleton in Manchester for the second time earlier this year.

Brian Silvester, Mayor of Crewe and Nantwich, said: "All of the residents of the borough of Crewe and Nantwich should be proud of this elite athlete, who represents our young people and is such a great role model for others.

"It just shows people what they too can achieve if they set their mind to it ."