BEIJING - Donny Robinson, a 2001 Napa High graduate and the top-ranked American BMX racer, qualified for the men’s Olympic BMX semifinals earlier today.

“You can’t get much more rad than this,” Robinson said.

Both the men’s and women’s semifinals and medal races were postponed because of wet conditions until Friday morning local time — or tonight, Pacific time.

Rain began falling at the Laoshan cycling complex overnight, and when heavy squalls persisted during the morning, event officials decided to push the entire card back a day.

The course was covered by several tarps. Some teams had already arrived when the decision to postpone was announced; others, including the U.S., were on their way to the venue when racing was canceled, “in consideration of the fairness of the competition,” said a statement from the event organizers at the track.

Robinson’s teammates, Kyle Bennett and Mike Day, also qualified for the semifinals, making the U.S. the only nation with three men in the round of 16. All three will be racing in the same round of semifinals.

Bennett, who dislocated his left shoulder in a nasty crash during a quarterfinal heat — will get an additional 24 hours to recover. Day won the time trial and all three of his quarterfinal heats.

Jill Kintner, the lone American in the 16-racer women’s field, also advanced.

This is the first year BMX has been part of the Olympic program.

Weather permitting on Friday, Robinson will be in Heat 1 with Day and New Zealand star Marc Willers. Colombia’s Andres Jimenez is also one of the favorites in Robinson’s heat.

The top four finishers from each semifinal heat will advance to the finals later in the day.

“I can’t believe how many people are on their ‘A’ game right now,” Robinson said upon arriving in Beijing. “We've raced all these kids before; they're going so fast. I can't pick the biggest threat right now, but the U.S. can sweep medals.”

Robinson was involved in a crash in the quarterfinal heats and knows how precarious the quest for the first Olympics BMX medals will be.

“We have one race. We only get one chance for a gold medal. We dig the Olympics. This is our place,” he said.

Robinson’s quarterfinal heat race times were 48.906 seconds, 36.235 and 36.490. Day’s times were consistent at 36.170, 36.080 and 36.122. Jimenez raced times of 36.619, 36.939 and 36.660.

Arturs Mattison, a top challenger from Latvia, had a best of 35.903 — the best time turned in on the Olympic track in Beijing.

Maris Stombergs of Latvia won Heat 3 with a top run of 35.934. Rob van den Wildenberg of the Netherlands was second.

Jared Garves from Australia topped the fourth heat.