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Edwards BMX rider qualifies for world championships in Glasgow, Scotland — 41 years after his first World Cup

The 57-year-old will be the oldest Team USA member competing at worlds this August

Kevin Shields gets ready to compete in his first BMX world cup in 1982. Shields qualified for the world championships Aug. 6-13 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Special to the Daily

Edwards resident Kevin Shields has been riding BMX bikes at a high level for a long time.

The 57-year-old qualified to represent the U.S. at the 2023 UCI-sanctioned BMX world championships in Glasgow, Scotland, this August, 41-years after making his world cup debut in 1982.

“It is an honor to still be competing in this sport for so many years and the ultimate goal is to represent the USA in the world championship,” Shields stated. 



“Most of the people I compete against now, I competed against 40 years ago in the expert and pro levels. It has been a sport that continues to grow and has grown from grass root local tracks to the Olympics.”

BMX racing made its Olympic debut at the 2008 Beijing Games.

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According to a USA BMX team announcement from this week, Shields, who started racing at 12 and turned pro at 19, is the oldest member of the USA Cycling team headed to Glasgow for the event, which runs from Aug. 6-13.

“On the racetrack, Shields is famously fearless and aggressive, often pushing his limits to go beyond what he thought was possible,” the press release stated.

“Off the track, he is known for his friendly and approachable demeanor, often inspiring and mentoring younger racers to follow in his footsteps. He is a shining example of perseverance, hard work, and passion for the sport.”

Shields will compete in the 35-and-over 20″ and 50-and-over Cruiser Challenge classes. It will be his fifth-career world championships. His best finish was a fifth at the 1982 Worlds Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee. At last year’s world championships in Nantes, France, he suffered a broken knee cap in a quarterfinal crash.

Shields competed in the 2022 world championships in Nantes, France. He broke his knee cap in a crash in the quarterfinals.
Special to the Daily

“The competition is exciting but the camaraderie with teammates, fellow competitors and racing with two of my sons has certainly been the highlight of my career,” said Shields, who has 22 national championship race wins and 30 national championship podiums on his resume.

“I am looking forward to continuing my career as a coach and sport ambassador for the younger generation entering into the sport of BMX.”


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