Mountain biking: Downhill master winds up in plaster

Dunedin mountain biker Josh McCombie intended to brake hard but instead he ended up with a bad break at the national championships in Wellington last weekend.

Josh (13), a Kings High School pupil, won the boys under-15 downhill title in 2min 59.21sec, but the joy of winning his first national title turned to agony soon after he crossed the finish line. He had broken his left leg in two places.

"I'd taken the last jump and started to pedal away when my foot caught underneath the pedal and my leg bent backwards," he recalled.

He was in severe pain and was taken to hospital.

Josh broke the tibia and fibula in his lower left leg and the plates in his ankle were pulled apart.

"Doctors manipulated the plates back into place," Josh said.

His leg will be in plaster for six weeks, and he will be out of mountain biking action for three months. He will miss this month's Oceania championships on his home course in Dunedin, where he was expected to win his age group.

Josh followed brother Dan (15) into BMX when he was 6 and, five years later, switched to downhill mountain biking. Younger brother Ollie (10) also competes in mountain biking.

Josh admitted to being scared as he hurtled down the slopes but said this was his first injury.

He had a near-miss during a practice run on the tricky rock garden at the top of the Dunedin course last month.

"I nose-dived over a jump and flipped over the handlebars," he said.

"It was scary but I wasn't hurt."

Josh has not been put off downhill mountain biking and wants to defend his national title next year and eventually represent New Zealand.

He is also talented at rugby and plays for the Pirates club. He made the Otago under-65kg team last season but will miss the first two months of club rugby this year.