A south Londoner has made BMX history for Great Britain as he claimed a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

Kye Whyte, 21 won Britain’s first medal this morning since the introduction of the event to the Olympics Programme in 2008, finishing behind Dutchman Niek Kimman.

He grew up in south London, where his father was a co-founder of the Peckham BMX Club which sought to steer youngsters away from gang culture and crime.

Having suffered with slow starts in qualifying and during the semi-final, Whyte nailed it in the final and went into the first corner in second behind Kimmann – racing only days after hitting an official on track in a frightening crash – and held station to the finish.

News Shopper: Great Britain's Kye Whyte competes in the Cycling BMX RacingGreat Britain's Kye Whyte competes in the Cycling BMX Racing

“I just came out of the gate, and I didn’t expect it but in the back of my head I kept telling myself I was going to get a medal,” Whyte said.

“I didn’t deserve it any more than any of the other riders but I put my head to it and I got a medal.”

Whyte began his celebrations by a TV screen showing a link to the party taking place back in Peckham.

“I couldn’t even speak,” he said. “You know when you get that little crying voice? I couldn’t speak holding back the tears.”

Whyte cheered on his team mate Beth Shriever, who led from almost from start to finish to claim a superb gold in the women’s race.

As the 22-year-old collapsed in tears a jubilant Whyte scooped her up and held her aloft in celebration.

“I’m more happy for her than I am for me,” Whyte said. “That girl puts in some serious serious graft.”

The Olympian’s father, Nigel Whyte, was among family and friends watching the final at the Peckham BMX Club, and said it was “amazing”.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme: “Knowing Kye like I do, and his brothers know him, we’re like ‘Kye, it’s the Olympics, stop taking the Mick, yeah, do the job’.

“He’s got this amazing ability to come through the pack. We know that.”

He said his son epitomises the motto “never give up”, adding: “That’s him being him, he don’t give up.”

Asked if Kye was hoping to get gold, Mr Whyte said: “For me, if Kye says ‘I’m OK’, I’ll just leave it like that, that’s good enough for me.

“Kye said to me ‘I got this dad’. That’s good enough for me. I’ve got faith in my boy.

“Silver’s great, come on, top three.”

Mr Whyte was asked what it means for the Peckham BMX Club and he said: “I know people say cloud nine. I’m saying cloud 100 at the moment.

“I’ve never had the whole club around me before. It’s just normally me and his mum.

“We had a lot of kids here, parents. I’m just so happy for their support. Kye saw the support. It is just amazing for everyone and the club.

“So everyone had to believe that knowing Kye he could do something special.”

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