Olympic BMX Racing
I recently started riding in 2020 during COVID and I have re-ignited a passion. I have found myself watching videos non-stop and more recently waiting for Olympic BMX Racing to begin. BMX Racing is a fantastic sport that is highly competitive and requires the highest levels of precision, fitness, concentration, power output, and skill. The risk is high, and the competition is fierce. Olympic Supercross BMX is highly entertaining and I believe it will soon be on the world sports entertainment stage more consistently. I compare it to the Kentucky Derby on bikes!
During the COVID pandemic of 2020, I found myself ordering a BMX bike and learning to ride again, as this provided time outdoors and allowed my family to participate. I raced as a youth and sadly stopped early in high school to play traditional sports. But BMX was always my first love, and I am excited to learn BMX again and enjoy the Olympics.
But enough about me… here are the participants for this year’s Olympics.
Tokyo BMX Racing Participants
Men
- Connor Fields – USA
- Corben Sharrah -USA
- Alberto Campo – Ecaudor
- S Andre – France
- R Mahieu -France
- K Whyte
- Y Nagasako – Japan
- A Limberb
- N Mimmann – Netherlands
- Twan van Gendt – Netherlands
- H Babris
- Renato Rezende – Brazil
- N Torres
- J Plamer
- SM Marquart
- Joris Daudet – France
- V Pelluard
- J Harmsen
- T Navrestad
- E Kleshchenko
- David Graf
- CA Yepes Ramirez
- G Fantoni
- Anthony Dean – Australia
Women
- Payton Ridenour – USA
- Felicia Stancil – USA
- Alise Willoughby -USA
- M. Pajon – Columbia
- M. Smulders
- S. Christensen
- E Vanhoof – Belgium
- C Kitwanitsathian
- L. Smulders
- A Etienne
- N Suvorova
- P Carnaval Stevaux
- D. Mechielsen
- Z Claessens
- V Valentino
- B Shriever
- S Sakaibara
- L Reynolds
- J Baauw
- N Afremova
- S Hatakeyama – Japan
- Domenica Azuero – – Ecuador
- R Petch
Men To Watch
- Joris Daudet
- Connor Fields
- S Andre
- Alberto Campo
- Twan van Gendt – Netherlands
Don’t Sleep on These Men
- Renato Rezende
- David Graf
- Corben Sharrah
- R Mahieu -France
- Y Nagasako – Japan
- Anthony Dean
Women To Watch
- Marian Pajon
- L. Smulders
- Alise Willoughby
- M. Smulders
Don’t Sleep on These Women
- Domenica Azuero
- L. Reynolds
- Payton Ridenhour
- Felicia Stancil
How To Watch Olympic BMX Tokyo
Thursday, July 29
Start Time: 10:00 JST
Men’s BMX Quarterfinals
Women’s BMX Quarterfinals
Friday, July 30
Start Time: 10:00 JST
Men’s BMX Semifinals & Finals
Women’s BMX Semifinals & Finals
What is Olympic BMX Racing?
Think bicycling at the highest level. 24 – 160 riders compete by racing in qualifying rounds of 8 riders per race. The Olympics focuses on the top 24 riders in the world. The top-ranking countries get three riders while the others get two riders per country and the left one rider per country for the world’s best of the best.
These are not the typical BMX tracks that you see around the neighborhood or at your local trails. They are tracks that are built to the most challenging standards.
The bikes are made to be nimble, roll fast, jump and take a pounding, if needed.
Bicycle Motocross (BMX) is raced on dirt or composite asphalt-like tracks with four-story starting gates, 20 – 50 foot jumps, and diverse technical obstacles that require precision, speed, and commitment.
How do the races work?
Paint a picture in your mind of eight riders lined up on a gate. They are separated by inches. You are staring down a four-story hill and waiting for a random start gate to drop and allow the riders to explode down the hill only to hit a 30-foot jump. Racers sprint for the first position at the first turn and desire to lead everyone around the 400m long track with obstacles, jumps, turns, rollers, and tricky sections.
Eight riders line up at the starting gate, and when the gate drops, the eight riders take off at full speed on a four-story starting hill looking to be the fastest person to the first corner and around the track. With eight riders racing at once, the races are intense but packed with strategy, excitement, skill, and speed. Riders maneuver for position, and the question of whether to jump, manual, double manual, or even jump all the obstacles at once is always a possibility. Risk versus reward is vital.
BMX made its Olympic debut at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and has been a critical part of the Olympic program ever since. 2021 is the first time that BMX Freestyle will be showcased in the Olympic games.
Tokyo Olympics 2021 BMX Track
All the BMX racing qualifications and main event action will take place at the Ariake Urban Sports Park, close to the Athletes Village in Ariake, Koto-Ku, Tokyo.