25/07/17 – Trial2 Women – The occasion of TrialGP USA this coming weekend in Kingman, Arizona – which will mark the opening round of the 2017 FIM Women’ Trial World Championship will also mark the return of a very special young lady to the series.
Soon to mark her twentieth birthday, Nikita Smith last competed in the championship back in 2013 aged just fifteen before she suffered a life threating accident on a moped the following summer. Airlifted to hospital from the scene of the collision it was not clear if Nikita would survive the coming days such were the extent of her injuries to her head, pelvis, leg, back, wrist which were compounded by the fact that her lungs had also collapsed and she had two bleeds on her brain.
Since that horrific day in July 2014 it has been an incredibly long and testing journey for both Nikita and her family and one that has defined their gritty Northern English determination. From those dark early days when it was not clear if the talented teenager would ever walk again let alone ride a bike, Nikita has surpassed everyone’s expectations and made an instant impact when she returned to the national scene by finishing on the podium at last summer’s North Berk Supertrial.
The advent of the newly introduced Trial2 Women class has provided the perfect platform for Smith make her return to competing at the highest level again, and despite her long absence from the international scene all the indications are that Nikita is ready to challenge for the higher order once again.
Whilst Nikta’s results this weekend remain unknown at this time, one thing that is guaranteed is the warm welcome she will receive from the entire paddock when she arrives in Kingman later this week.
Sport7 are delighted at the return of Nikita Smith having closely followed her recovery and story over the last few years – make no mistake, she is one super brave young lady.
