​As COVID-19 continues to alter how Australian Cycling Team athletes train and prepare for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Cycling Australia (CA) has committed to a new BMX Freestyle Indoor Training Facility in Australia. 
 
Earlier in 2020, COVID-19 restrictions forced the closure of two of Queensland’s indoor skate parks, which also formed part of the daily training environment base for the Australian Cycling Team’s BMX Freestyle athletes.
 
With the athletes left with no facility at which to train, Australian Cycling Team staff and athletes held discussions to determine how to best support Tokyo 2020 preparations. 
 
Australia’s reigning world champion in Brandon Loupos, 2017 world champion Logan Martin, and women’s world number six in Natalya Diehm put their support behind a facility proposal.
 
In August, access to a warehouse on the Gold Coast was secured and in September, several team staff and athletes set to work with lead park builder Jason Watts from Universal Ramps on building the indoor training facility. 
 
The facility includes ramps, walls, transitions and quarter pipes up to ten feet, with protective matting and foam pits in both directions allowing riders to advance and develop new tricks in a safe environment.

​
Australian Cycling Team BMX Technical Director Wade Bootes is ecstatic that Australia’s athletes now have access to a world-class facility with leading nations such as Japan, Russia, USA and France already boasting Freestyle training centres. 
 
“Our training facility is a learning centre to create an environment to support the athletes in a safe and controlled way as they prepare for the Tokyo Games in 2021,” said Bootes. “The park layout was designed to also enhance the riders conditioning with continued eccentric and concentric movement patterns due to the pumping action back to back.  
 
“The ramps were designed to cater towards various lines between left and right at competition size and transitions to mimic international courses. 
 
“Having the Freestyle Australian Cycling Team all now living on the Gold Coast with the support of Cycling Australia, this facility will make for some banger sessions for their progression.”

2020 has been a challenging year for everyone and circumstances have made it even more important for us all to stay connected and be willing to support those around us.

Cycling Australia encourages all coaches, athletes and our cycling community to take time on Thursday 10 September to reflect on R U OK? Day and how we each make time in our relationships for asking R U OK? and remember, there is more to say after R U OK?

Australian Cycling Team staff and athletes will gather together on Thursday 10 September for a morning tea and walk two laps of the Adelaide Superdrome to highlight R U OK? Day and the importance of creating space for conversations.

#RUOKDay is on Thursday 10 September and is a reminder that a conversation could change a life. This year we are learning what to say after R U OK? so we can keep the conversation going when someone says “No, I’m not OK”. Resources are available at www.ruok.org.au

#RUOK is an important question but there’s more to say after R U OK? If someone says they’re not OK, make time to listen, encourage action and check-in. That conversation could change, or even save, their life.

You don’t have to be an expert to keep the conversation going when someone says they’re not OK. By knowing what to say you can help someone feel supported and access appropriate help long before they’re in crisis, which can make a really positive difference to their life

More on R U OK? 

People are also encouraged to learn what to say after R U OK? and download R U OK? resources from ruok.org.au for tips and ideas to help them share the message in their community.

Useful contacts for someone who is not OK - Encourage them to talk to a trusted health professional or call on these Australian crisis lines and professionals:
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• Lifeline (24/7) 13 11 14 lifeline.org.au
• Suicide Call Back Service (24/7) 1300 659 467 suicidecallbackservice.org.au
• Beyond Blue (24/7) 1300 224 636 beyondblue.org.au
• Kids Helpline (24/7) 1800 55 1800 kidshelpline.com.au 

​The Australian Cycling team is participating in R U OK? Day with support from AIS; and the Podium Potential Academy is proudly supported by Commonwealth Games Australia.

Saturday 15 August | 189 days since the crash | 136 days in rehabilitation

It has been some time since the last update and many people have been asking how Kai is doing. We’re super pleased to report that Kai continues to make strong progress in all aspects of his rehabilitation.

It’s Saturday 15 August today and we have just passed two key milestones. The first of these was 29 July which is Kai’s 24th birthday, this is highly significant because there was a time when we were not sure he would see his next birthday at all. The second important date was 8 August — exactly six months since Kai had his crash. In some ways, it feels like an eternity since the crash because of the intensity of what has been going on but it also feels like time has gone so quickly.  Either way, it is good to sit down and reflect on how the past four months in rehabilitation have been.

The last update we made was in April two weeks after Kai had arrived at BIRU (Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit). The first few weeks Kai was there were pretty tough for us emotionally as we adjusted to the new setting. However, it was really good to finally have Kai in a place focussed on his rehabilitation and to be actively starting on his recovery.

It was at this point we were able to understand a little more about Kai’s injury and the impact it has had. As a result of his crash, Kai suffered serious bleeding deep inside the left-hand side of his brain, this created extensive stress and damage in some areas. Doctors called it a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). Specifically, Kai lost the ability to move the right side of his body (leg, arm, face), he was not able to speak; he could not make any sounds at all. As things progressed it became evident Kai could not find the right words and had severe short term memory challenges. Kai also forgot how to do basic things like cleaning his teeth — so has needed to re-learn everything again from zero. Furthermore, Kai lost 20kg in weight while in Canberra ICU and was so weak he could not sit or even hold up his head.

So there was a big list of things to work on……

Rehabilitation for Kai has been focussed in a number of key areas: Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Diversional Therapy, Psychology and Social Work.

As Kai became stronger his schedule became a lot more intense. Initially, he was only doing a few hours a day and he was so tired he needed to rest at lunchtime for a couple of hours. Over time he began to put on weight and was able to do better with his exercises.

We began to notice improvements in all areas, communication improved a little, he became stronger and he started to gain some movement in his right leg. The physiotherapists focussed their attention on his leg and 14 weeks after the crash Kai was finally able to stand-up for the first time with assistance. This was a major step for us and it gave us hope that he might be able to walk again.

As Kai was doing his best to recover the BMX and broader community were all doing some amazing things to provide him with assistance. Sam and Alise Willoughby started the “77 for 77” initiative which spread like wildfire and was a lot of fun. Sam started by doing 77 bench presses with 77kg, Alise did the same with 77lbs. They then threw out the challenge and suddenly everyone was doing 77 somethings for 77. Simply amazing.

It was around this time that Matt Carmichael from Channel 7 contacted us to do a news story on Kai and if you haven’t seen it, the link is here. Matt did a really nice job of telling Kai’s story. 

Kai’s approach to rehabilitation has been the same as his approach to training, he simply wants to ensure everything within his control is done to the best of his ability. The therapists have been super impressed with Kai’s strength and determination:

• … shows 110% commitment to physio on a daily basis. His immense focus and countless hours in the gym are helping him smash his goals (Physiotherapy)
• … is working very hard to regain his independence in many of his day to day activities, His perseverance with his recovery is something to be admired (Occupational Therapy)
• … is extremely motivated in his approach to therapy, both within and outside of our sessions. His positive attitude and work ethic are very impressive (Speech Therapy)

In the meantime, in typical Kai manner, he would turn to us at the end of the day and say “I’m really not sure if I am doing enough to get better”………

Four months after the crash Kai was finally able to start coming home for weekends, this was another major step for us all. He was really pleased to come back and have some home cooking, it also meant he could have visits from friends who he has not seen for some time. Kai comes home on Friday afternoons and we take him back to the rehabilitation unit on Sunday evenings so he can be ready to start rehabilitation on Monday first thing.

Having Kai at home on the weekends means he is able to work closely again with Saya. A few weeks ago he was able to watch her sprint training and help with the timing. The relationship Kai and Saya have is very special which is not surprising given the amount of time they spent together travelling the world doing BMX. Zwift Japan and First Track Athlete Management Company assisted Saya with a Zwift charity ride for Kai. The event was live-streamed on Instagram and bike riders from all over the world participated. Kai was in our garage while Saya was doing this and was really pleased to be involved.

As a family, we’re supporting Kai in whatever way we can. One of us goes to the rehabilitation unit to assist with his therapies every day. We give him extra exercises, take him out for coffee, help with his stretches and generally make sure he has what he needs. The rehabilitation unit is doing a great job but sometimes things slip through the cracks and we are there to pick these up. As time progresses we’re seeing Kai can do a lot more by himself and we can back-off a little.

Recently Kai has started playing table tennis. As you can imagine this is difficult sitting in a wheelchair and using his left hand but he is improving. We’ve been trying to work on how many times we can get the ball over the net. The first time we were only able to manage 5 times but this soon increased to 30, then we made 102 and this continued to increase. Last week he managed 284 with his Physiotherapist which was amazing and we have now set a target of 500. Kai loves the challenge and it’s great to be able to relax and have some fun.

The support Kai continues to receive is incredible and he tells us it really helps motivate him so please keep this going. Clubs are doing fundraisers, riders and friends are sending him messages on social media. Everywhere we look we can see #KaiFight77 stickers on helmets, car windows, bikes and other places. Last week the mother of a rider who Kai coached wrote and sang an amazing song about the challenges Kai is working through (look out for it on the #KaiFight77 Facebook page soon). We’re all so pleased he has not been forgotten.

Where is he now

• Speaking and communicating pretty well considering he could not say anything 4 months ago
• Moving most big muscles on his right leg
• Walking a little with assistance from people (it’s not pretty but it is happening)
• Moving his right shoulder and elbow a little
• Short term memory is improving

What’s next

• Continue working through rehabilitation
• Long process and we’re still not sure what the end game will look like.

Thank you so much to everyone who is with us on this journey.

One step at a time, one moment at a time … let’s go 

Regards,

Kai Sakakibara Family

In response to the current global COVID-19 pandemic, Cycling Australia (CA) wish to make public its current position on its international competition activities. 

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) currently advises there is a ban on overseas travel from Australia. Australian citizens cannot leave Australia without an exemption from DFAT.

Our primary concern is the health of our athletes and staff. As such, CA will not be conducting any national team campaigns or projects outside of Australia before 1 January 2021 with the following possible exceptions: 

1. CA’s position may be reconsidered for activities in New Zealand in the event there is a government-endorsed Trans-Tasman travel bubble.
2. CA’s position may be reconsidered for the 2020 UCI Road World Championships, the 2020 UCI MTB World Championships, the 2020 MTB Marathon World Championships, 2020 season Mountain Bike World Cups and remaining 2020 season BMX World Cups. 

When considering its position in relation to the above events, CA will consider a range of factors including but not limited to the most up-to-date DFAT position, the current COVID-19 position of the host country, information from the UCI and Event Organisers, and the ability of CA to appropriately provide for the health and safety of the team and the community.

In respect of the 2020 UCI Road World Championships, CA will continue to monitor the situation. CA will only consider selecting and endorsing entries for Elite riders. Riders in these categories wishing to be considered will need to have been based in Europe for a minimum of two (2) weeks prior to the date of the start of the competition in question. 

For the avoidance of doubt, CA will not enter any U19 (UCI Junior category) riders in any overseas events over which it has entry jurisdiction between now and 31 December 2020 (regardless of any potential exceptions listed above) and will not be selecting U23 riders for the 2020 UCI Road World Championships. 

Decisions in relation to mountain bike events will be reached in conjunction with MTBA. Decisions in relation to BMX events will be reached in conjunction with BMXA. 

​CA will continue to monitor the global situation and reserves the right to modify its approach to its activities as the situation develops over the next few months.

FISE is currently hosting first ever digital stage of FISE Montpellier which is taking place 100% online through August and September!
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E-FISE Montpellier is a and innovative online experience, enabling fans and athletes and fans to connect online.  ​

Aussies Logan Martin and Natalya Diehm are in the running - check out their runs below. 

VISIT THE E-FISE PLATFORM FOR MORE INFO

http://e-fise.com/en/montpellie

Below is an update on the nomination processes for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, plus a notice regarding no Australian Team selection for the 2020 UCI Junior Track World Championships in August, in Egypt. 

Olympic & Paralympic Nominations Update

Following the deferral of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games until 2021 and recent Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) announcements, Cycling Australia (CA) can make the following updates with regards to nomination processes for the following teams after the suspension of the qualification periods as of 3 March 2020.

For Mountain Bike, BMX Freestyle and BMX Race (Supercross), the Olympic qualification periods for which should have ended on 11 May 2020, 27 May 2020 and 1 June 2020 respectively, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) replied favourably to the following propositions from the UCI:

• Mountain Bike Cross Country (XCO): The points awarded at two weekends of the UCI MTB XCO World Cup during the 2021 season will be added to those taken into account in the ranking of 3 March 2020. The weekends are still to be determined and will be communicated at a later date.
• BMX Freestyle: The points awarded at two weekends of the UCI BMX Freestyle World Cup during the 2021 season will be added to those taken into account in the ranking of 3 March 2020. The weekends are still to be determined and will be communicated at a later date.
• BMX Race: The points awarded at two weekends of the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup during the 2021 season and at the 2020 UCI BMX World Championships will be added to those taken into account in the ranking of 3 March 2020. The remaining UCI World Cup weekends are still to be determined and will be communicated at a later date.  CA will also await further updates from UCI as to the rescheduled dates for the 2020 UCI World Championships and the 2021 UCI BMX Supercross World Cup schedule.

With regards to Para-cycling and Road:  
​

• Para-cycling: The UCI Management Committee has approved a modified qualification system based on the principles applied for the Olympic qualification process mentioned above. This is awaiting approval from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). The points gained in the UCI combined nations ranking up until 3 March 2020 will remain valid and will see the addition of points earned in the first two rounds of the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup for the 2021 season. The weekends are still to be confirmed and will be announced at a later date.
• Road: Cycling Australia will add several races from the 2020 calendar to the Olympic nomination document but races in 2021 will be weighted with higher importance. The selection window will be frozen for the majority of the 2020 season and will resume before the 2020 UCI Road World Championships and will include events up until the end of April 2021.

“With specific regard to the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) nomination process, we will continue with our approach to nominate athletes with medal-winning potential as a priority,” said Performance Director Simon Jones.

“These changes to the qualification window simply mean we have more time to get those nation quotas that will support our medal targets. With COVID-19 looking like it's under control in Australia, we will need to make the best of this situation and work towards 2021 goals.”

No Cycling Australia National Team Selection for 2020 UCI Junior Track World Championships

Due to the Australian Government’s international travel bans as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, CA will not be selecting a team to compete at the 2020 UCI Junior Track World Championships which are scheduled for 16 - 21 August 2020, in Egypt. 

“It is unfortunate that we have had to make this decision, but the health and safety of our athletes and staff team is paramount,” said Performance Director Simon Jones.
 
“As a high-performance network, we will continue to create domestic opportunities for developing athletes as we have done recently with the Under 19 Individual Time Trial camp and the High Performance Network (HPN) virtual camps in April.” 

Updates on the next camp will be communicated shortly.

Following a review of the Australian Cycling Team’s Performance Strategy and operations, Cycling Australia is undertaking an operational restructure of the Australian Cycling Team which will support its objectives for Tokyo 2021 while underpinning the athlete pathway and coach development through to 2024 and beyond. 

A review was scheduled to take place after the completion of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020, however, the review was brought forward to ensure a smooth transition to new operations ahead of the rescheduled Games in 2021 and a shortened performance cycle through to Paris 2024. 

This restructure does not represent a change of strategy, but rather a refinement of the way the current strategy is delivered. The objective of the restructure, which is primarily focused on the track and para programs, is to maximise performance by supporting and developing coaches to deliver and lead their programs with tighter performance support teams, meaning that communication, training, and preparation will be streamlined.

As a result of the changes detailed above, eleven roles will be restructured, resulting in seven staff members leaving the team, with a further four staff members being offered refocused roles. The Team will recruit a number of new roles including a Director of Coaching and Director of Performance Pathways. 

Steve Drake, CEO, Cycling Australia: “I would like to thank the departing staff members for their significant contributions to the Australian Cycling Team during their tenures. While we are very conscious of the timing of these decisions, the deferral of the Olympic and Paralympic Games necessitated these changes being made now and is in the best interests of the athletes and the broader performance team.”

Simon Jones, Performance Director, Australian Cycling Team: “With the delay of Tokyo 2020 and the interruption of normal performance activity due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, we believe that it is in the best interests of the entire program to complete a review and to implement this restructure now. 

“The period post-Tokyo 2021 will see a condensed competition phase that includes the 2021 Road and Track Cycling World Championships, Paralympic and Olympic Nation / World Cups, followed shortly by Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022 which is a major objective for the team.
 
“We believe these changes increase our chance of success in 2021 with more focussed and strategically aligned teams, and at the same time we will look closely at our pathway strategies over the coming months to ensure we have a surplus of talent creating upward pressure in the pathway to meet Cycling’s 2024 and 2028 medal potential.” ​

The Australian Cycling Team is pleased to announce the Athlete Memberships across all disciplines for 2020/21.

In all, 62 athletes will feature across the Para-cycling Track and Road (15), Track Sprint and Endurance (17), BMX Race and Freestyle (7), Road (13), and Podium Potential Academy (10) programs after being classified in the Podium, Podium Ready and Podium Potential categories. About the Australian Cycling Team Pathway. 

The Para-cycling (Track and Road) memberships include reigning Paralympic and world champions Carol Cooke and David Nicholas, plus Emily Petricola and Darren Hicks in a 15-athlete squad.  

The Track program is highlighted by Matthew Glaetzer, Stephanie Morton, Annette Edmondson and Samuel Welsford and welcomes three new members in Matthew Richardson (Sprint), Maeve Plouffe and Lucas Plapp (Endurance) who have progressed through the Podium Potential Academy^ pathway. 

In BMX, three athletes - Natalya Diehm (BMX Freestyle) and Lauren Reynolds and Izaac Kennedy (BMX Race) will receive Individual Athlete Performance Support (IAPS) memberships. The trio joins reigning world champion Brandon Loupos, 2017 world champion Logan Martin, plus Saya Sakakibara and Anthony Dean. 

Amanda Spratt, Chloe Hosking, Rohan Dennis and Michael Matthews headline the Road IAPS memberships, with five new athlete memberships to be provided to Brodie Chapman, Grace Brown, Sarah Gigante, Jay McCarthy and Lucas Hamilton.   

The Podium Potential Academy has inducted four new members in Leigh Hoffman (Sprint), Ruby Roseman-Gannon and Joshua Duffy (Endurance/Road), in addition to Kristina Clonan who will transition from the Podium Track Endurance to the Academy’s Sprint program. Caitlin Ward (Sprint) will receive transitional support as she exits the program.

The Para-cycling (Track and Road) will see six riders exit the program in Kieran Murphy, Brad Henderson (retirement), Michael Shippley, Darcy Thompson, plus Tandem pilots Lachlan Glasspool and Luke Zaccaria.  The latter four will transition to their respective High-Performance Network (HPN) state-based programs. 

Macey Stewart and Cameron Scott will exit the Podium Track Endurance program, while in Road, Rachel Neylan, Gracie Elvin, Shara Gillow, Nathan Haas, Luke Durbridge, and Richie Porte exited in December 2019.

Caroline Buchanan (BMX Race) has not been offered a new BMX IAPS membership, however, she will receive transitional support until August 2020. Kai Sakakibara (BMX Race) is receiving support as he continues recovery and rehabilitation following a racing accident in February.
  
“As we continue to prepare for the resumption of racing, and ultimately the Olympics and Paralympics in 2021, the confirmation of athlete memberships gives everyone a chance to continue to sharpen their focus on their preparation and individual progress and development,” said Simon Jones, Australian Cycling Team Performance Director. 

“I would like to thank those team members exiting the program for their commitment to their own personal development and to the Australian Cycling Team program as a whole. 

“Re-entry to the program for these athletes is possible. Sometimes, stepping back and taking time away from something can be a way to move forward if their ambition and desire remain.”

^ About the Podium Potential Academy - Launched in November 2018 with an inaugural class of thirteen athletes across both endurance and sprint disciplines, the PPA programme, which is supported and partly funded by Commonwealth Games Australia, focuses on the long term development of athletes orientated around success at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and through to the 2024 Olympic Games and beyond.
​
Australian Cycling Team Athlete Membership 2020/2021 - Full list (PDF)

The #AusCyclingTeam’s ‘30 from 30 Series’ featured current and former Australian Cycling Team athletes, coaches and staff showing us the different, creative and unique ways they are keeping healthy and active both physically and mentally, and staying connected while in isolation or lockdown across Australia and the world.  

Day 64 - Easter Sunday

It’s been a tough 9 weeks so far with huge uncertainty and massive challenges for Kai, he has been fighting all the way and is making good progress. We’re eternally grateful for the support Kai has been receiving from friends and people who know him either personally or via social media, it’s a great boost for us in these difficult times. 

As a family, we have been focussed on Kai but we have realised that there are many people who feel as we do and are genuinely concerned. Updates have been hard because of the uncertainty around Kai’s condition so they have been vague in places. However, we all know Kai has always been open and honest in his social media posts even during the difficult times and we will try to do the same with the updates so everyone will have a better understanding of what is going on. We believe Kai would want you all to be with him on this journey wherever it goes.

A lot has been happening since the last Kai update 2 weeks ago and while there is positive news there is also the gradual understanding of just how serious Kai’s injury is.
The first piece of good news is Kai’s operations have finished; he now has a cool scar on his head which will be covered up as his hair grows back. We were lucky to have everything done before the Coronavirus put a halt on all non-essential surgery.

More exciting news Kai has finally left Canberra hospital after nearly 8 weeks and has moved to BIRU (Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit) in Liverpool. We have been told he can expect to be there for many months. The move is good for a number of reasons: 1. from a medical perspective he is well enough to leave the hospital; 2. he can start on the rehabilitation process; 3. he is closer to home; and, 4. BIRU is probably one of the safest places he can be during the Covid-19 virus pandemic.

Ten days ago when Kai arrived at BIRU he was able to respond to questions by pointing to ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ written on a piece of paper. Since then he has started to speak a little so does not need the paper anymore which is a great step. He can respond to simple questions but is still very confused. The crash has impacted the part of his brain responsible for speech, so the words are jumbled up and unclear - they just don’t come out how he wants which is frustrating for him. Sometimes he gets annoyed and sometimes he just puts on that patient Kai smile and we move on.

Kai has his phone and scrolls through social media every day, he ‘likes’ posts and tries to send text messages to friends but they are invariably scrambled. So, if you get a text from Kai don’t worry his account has not been hacked, he’s just trying to get in touch with people. Feel free to respond but don’t expect anything to make much sense at the moment.

So, Kai continues to ‘emerge’ from the state of unconsciousness, and we are super excited to start communicating with him. However, as time progresses it becomes more and more evident that this has been a truly serious injury. The doctors tell us Kai has a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) on the left side of his brain which is severely impacting his ability to move the right side of his body and also his ability to speak amongst other things. We have been told that Kai will have some permanent disability.

Rehabilitation has started, Kai has been undergoing a number of different types of therapy; Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy. He is making solid improvements. It is all extremely tiring; one hour of physiotherapy in the morning will make him tired for the rest of the day, as you can imagine he always puts in 100% so this is to be expected. Next Tuesday we (Yuki, Saya and Martin) have a meeting with the therapists to define goals for Kai for the next four weeks. It’s really good to finally start on a structured program and we’re really looking forward to being part of Kai’s rehabilitation.

The Covid-19 pandemic brings an extra layer of challenges around Kai’s situation. We have to be super careful he does not get the Coronavirus, luckily he is in a safe place in Liverpool BIRU. As a family, we are limited to one visitor at a time so we rotate our visits so one of us will be there with him every day. We’re usually there most of the day from 10am until he has finished dinner around 6:30pm. Ideally, Kai would have more interaction with other people and we’re trying to work out the best way to do this.

Please continue to follow Kai’s progress and keep him in your thoughts, this is going to be long and we really appreciate you all being with us through these challenges.

“One day at a time, one moment at a time. Let’s go.”

Martin, Yuki, Saya

#KaiFight77 

Fundraising accounts

KaiFight77: BSB 182-182 | Account No 3380821 | Swift Code (for international) MACQAU2SXXX

​Road 2 Recovery (10% goes to the Road 2 Recovery foundation which is a good thing) road2recovery.com/cause-view/kai-sakakibara

Welcome to the Australian Cycling Team's 30 from 30! 

Across the month of April, a host of current Australian Cycling Team members, coaches and staff, plus former Australian Cycling Team athletes, will take you behind the scenes to show you some of the unique and different ways we are keeping healthy and active, keeping a routine and staying connected, and supporting our community by helping to inspire and motivate in your own endeavours at home.

Whether you’re in isolation in Australia or across the world.

Follow the #AusCyclingTeam at Facebook @AustralianCyclingTeam, Instagram @AustralianCyclingTeam and Twitter @AusCyclingTeam

Day 42

It is now exactly seven weeks since Kai crashed, and we are relieved to say that he is making progress — tiny steps in the right direction.

A key step for Kai is he now off the respirator and can breathe by himself unassisted. As he is not dependent on the breathing machinery, it has been possible to move him out of the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) and into a high care ward. During his time in ICU, Kai had dedicated nurses monitoring him 24/7 to ensure he had the best possible care to get through the very critical stage. It’s said that most people stay in ICU for less than a week, the fact that Kai was there for so long is an indication of the severity of his injury.

We were absolutely amazed by the care and professionalism provided by the Canberra ICU. There is no doubt without their incredible skills, support infrastructure and genuine ability to look after critically ill patients, Kai would not be here today. Each of the doctors and nurses was genuinely interested in providing an outstanding service for people in their care and we felt that Kai was in good hands while he was there. While we don’t have experience with the ICU in other hospitals, we are sure they all provide a similarly high level of care.

Some other wins for Kai over the past few weeks: 1. Kai was on extremely strong sedation to ensure he would not move; the heavy drugs have been stopped and have cleared out of his system. 2. Most of the connections to machines have now been removed; Kai was connected to heart monitor, blood pressure monitor, respirator, brain pressure monitor — these have all gone. 3. Kai has opened his eyes and is looking around.

According to the neurosurgeons, Kai is starting the long process of “emerging” from his coma. People who are emerging from a coma do not just ‘wake up’, but go through a gradual process of regaining consciousness over a long period of time which could take months. This is the start of the recovery process; the doctors are happy with the improvements he has made so far but does remind us that they are not able to predict the future. Every case is different.

Fundraising thanks
​
During this time, a fantastic group of friends came together and organised an online auction to raise funds for Kai's recovery. With riders from around the world donating their jerseys, bikes, number plates and other goodies. For a week of the auctions, social media was filled with awesome people getting behind Kai's fundraiser, and by the end of it there was over AUD$45,000 raised — we were blown away. Your work and effort are really appreciated. Thank you so much to everyone who was involved.

There was also an amazing fundraiser night organised by our friend Paula Griffiths in NSW and hosted by Ben Hidalgo from Holeshot Fitness a couple of weeks ago. Many people and organisations donated wonderful items to be auctioned off. Lots of people attended, a number of whom we have not seen for years making, it a really successful event with a fantastic atmosphere. It’s ironic that Kai would have loved to be there to meet everyone, but if he could have attended there would have been no need for the event …

Some clubs around Australia held novelty races, other clubs have been selling #KaiFight77 stickers and T-shirts, we even heard of young riders in the UK selling #KaiFight77 stickers at the UK National Series. The support for Kai has been absolutely amazing from the BMX community, the Helensburgh community where we live and other friends. We are incredibly humbled by the response and the support from people all around the world. And no doubt, it has helped us be strong and keep positive. 

Spotify playlists

Lots of people have taken the time to put together some playlists for Kai, there are Playlists from Australia, UK, France, Japan and Italy which is amazing. Some of the playlists have plenty of F-bombs, some are clean and all are very much appreciated. Kai is a big music lover so we have been playing your music to him constantly. Please keep those playlists coming …. label them “#KaiFight77 - your name” so we know who created them. If you have not listened to the #KaiFight77 playlists on Spotify then give them a go — there are some great collections there.

Kai’s family

We’re still staying in an AirBnB about 10 mins walk from the hospital so we're able to go and see Kai 2 or 3 times a day without having to worry about traffic, parking etc. Saya is dedicated to training and her Olympic campaign. She understands that decisions made to optimise her training are also in Kai’s best interest. Martin and Yuki are trying to keep busy so please get in touch if you need anything.
​
People ask how we are doing which is a bit tricky to answer. All parents want to help their children where they can, but in this case, we feel very helpless — this is Kai’s fight and ultimately success (whatever that looks like) will depend on him. We also have to manage the uncertainty of not knowing how things are going to turn out for Kai, we don’t know what recovery looks like and we don’t know how far he will be able to go.

In order to stay positive, we try and focus on what we have gained and not what we have lost. We don’t spend too much time thinking about how close Kai was to his dream of making the Olympics because that doesn’t help. Instead, we need to remind ourselves that we nearly lost him seven weeks ago and he has fought to get to where he is today — there are small improvements every day and we are grateful for all of these. Things are so much better now than they were 42 days ago.

Next steps

Every day is a different day for Kai. Some days will be good, somedays will be not so good. But what we know is that Kai will keep fighting until the job is done. It is in his nature.

On the 1st January, 2020 Kai made the following post on Instagram

“How far can I go? How far am I willing to go? How far will I go? A new opportunity to redefine who we are and who we want to be - but it’s up to us to take action. We have to take action….A huge year ahead. One day at a time, one moment at a time. Let’s go.”

Little did Kai know how big this year is going to be, his goals have been reset and he will have to redefine who he is. For Kai and for us it is absolutely …

One day at a time, one moment at a time. Let's go.

Regards,

Martin, Yuki, Saya

Fundraising accounts

KaiFight77: BSB 182-182 | Account No 3380821 | Swift Code (for international) MACQAU2SXXX
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Road 2 Recovery (10% goes to the Road 2 Recovery foundation which is a good thing) road2recovery.com/cause-view/kai-sakakibara

As we reported on 18 March, one of our Adelaide-based staff members tested positive to COVID-19 on Monday 16 March. The team member is receiving the right medical support and is in good spirits in hospital and making progress. 

Government health authorities have undertaken tracking and tracing, as per their policies and processes. 

In addition to these measures, we have chosen to test six additional team members - comprising three athletes and three staff - this decision was a precautionary measure only. Five have since returned negative results. We expect to receive the remaining test result over the next 24-48 hours and will provide an update when this is received.

Following a review of this situation, we are confident that staff and athlete exposure to the infected staff member was extremely low primarily due to a pre-planned staff and athlete break from the Adelaide training environment for the period of 7-15 March.

In responding to this situation, Cycling Australia and the Australian Cycling Team have activated its Critical Incident Management Team. This team convenes daily to facilitate rapid decision making and leadership. 

Cycling Australia and the Australian Cycling Team have been proactive in implementing a range of measures aimed at reducing the potential impact of the infection over and above government public health recommendations and considerations.  

Further to this, we have been proactive in implementing evidence-based hygiene practices and education as far back as 2018, and more recently we stepped up and reinforced hygiene practice for travel and training prior to the 2020 season. We are confident that we have taken and continue to take prudent measures to maximise athlete and staff health.

Recent measures that have been taken to reduce infection risk and protect staff and athletes:

• Super-drome closures this week; 17-20 March
• Additional cleaning of the training environment and office spaces
• Social distancing measures such as reduced staff and athletes at the Super-drome, reduced working in closed spaces and reducing contact and face to face meetings, the closing of meeting spaces such as athlete lounge and kitchen areas will be implemented from 23 March
• Podium Potential Academy athletes have returned to their families and home states
• SASI Development athletes will train outdoors for the next four weeks, providing more space between people, and sessions in the venue 
• Continued vigilance on best practice hand hygiene and no handshaking

On the performance side, we have been proactive in short and medium-term planning with scenario and contingency planning for all high-performance competition and domestic racing and camps with a continuing priority focus on protecting the health of athletes and staff. 
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We are seeking to provide both a training purpose and appropriate objective setting but also being considerate of the broader global impact of this infection pandemic.  

Simon Jones, Performance Director, Cycling Australia

More: The most up to date information on COVID-19 (Coronavirus) can be found at the Australian Government Department of Health website with advice and information relating to high-performance environments found at the AIS webpage.

Over the next few months, the athletes and teams that will represent Australia in the five cycling disciplines - Road, Track, Mountain Bike, BMX Racing and BMX Freestyle - at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will be announced. 

Below is a summary of the Olympic Qualification and Selection Timing situation as it currently stands.
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We understand this is ever-evolving and rapidly changing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and we will await further updates from the AOC over the coming days and weeks. 

Table: Announcement Date, Events & Quota Places per cycling discipline

The opening two rounds of the 2020 UCI BMX Supercross World Cup were held in Shepparton on February 1-2 with Saya Sakakibara and Anthony Dean finding a home soil podium.  

The World Cups will be one of the last chances for riders to perform and grab qualifying points before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Eyeing a maiden Olympic selection, Saya Sakakibara, 20, kickstarted her 2020 season with silver in round one behind reigning world champion Alise Willoughby (USA) and 2016 Olympic gold medallist Marian Pajon (COL). Watch Round 1.
 
In round two, Sakakibara grabbed fourth after fighting back following a tangle at the first berm of the race won by Willoughby. Watch Round 2.

"First home World Cup, Saturday for round one I was feeling really good, running lane one all day. In the final, I knew I had a good gate but just couldn't execute. Stuck in second. Close, but not close enough," said Sakakibara. "On Sunday for round two, it was tough conditions, but I felt I adapted really well. I almost went down in the first corner, but just held it and when I saw I was still in third I thought I was ok, but just couldn't catch back up when I dropped to fourth.  Fourth is not too bad, definitely wanted a lot more than that but we have next weekend in Bathurst."

2016 Olympic finalist Anthony Dean was edged by world number one Niek Kimmann (NED) in round one to take silver - Watch Round 1. A bad gate start hampered his winning chances in round two despite moving through the field from eighth to finish just off the podium in fourth. Watch Round 2.

"Little mistake in the final and I hit the start, was looking for the win after a flawless day to that point. But I am still happy with the weekend and really looking forward to next weekend.  Really want to get that win," Anthony Dean. 

Dual Olympian and eight-time world champion Caroline Buchanan continued her comeback with a quarter-final appearance in round one before progressing to her first semi-final in four seasons in round two. 

"Straight in the deep end, felt a lot of nerves being out two and a half year from the WorldTour," said Buchana. "The level of the sport has progressed so far, from the quarterfinals onwards it feels like a final. Being in the mix of the racing felt different but I took a lot of wins from Saturday's racing and I wanted to make it into the semi finals for Sunday which I did. 

"I had a big smile on me face when the camera came across me in that semi final, it has been a hell of a journey to get back here."

A tough weekend for Kai Sakakibara who made it through to the semi finals on Sunday. 

"A bit of a rough weekend for me, finishing Saturday in the 1/8th final, and then coming unstuck in the semi final today. I tiis a little bi of a disappointing weekend knowing how good I have been going. My biggest upset is not being able to replicate what I have been doing in training. But I am happy with where I am heading and I am really looking forward to the next two rounds in Bathurst."

The action moves to New South Wales town of Bathurst on February 8-9 for rounds three and four. 

• World Cup Website https://www.bmxworldcup.com/ 
• UCI BMX Results https://www.uci.org/bmx-racing/results 

For the first time in more than ten years, the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup is coming to Australia with over 200 of the world's best riders from over 30 countries heading to Shepparton and Bathurst this February. 

The opening two rounds of the 2020 UCI BMX Supercross World Cup will be held in Shepparton on February 1-2, before the action moves to New South Wales town of Bathurst on February 8-9 for rounds three and four. 

The World Cups will be one of the last chances for riders to perform and grab qualifying points before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Cycling Australia's Technical Director Wade Bootes is excited about the home soil advantage and the opportunities for all BMX riders from the 2020 Olympic aspirants to future stars. 

"From developing athletes to our top tier riders, having that home crowd support is going to be huge, and I think the excitement from this is going to give all athletes the chance to rise to all-new levels. 

"What is better is that it's going to be great for development, especially for our juniors who will step in for that experience. In addition to this, it gives the opportunity for our top riders to deliver those critical results."

In all, 48 Australian riders will compete in Shepparton and 51 in Bathurst lead by the Australian Cycling Team's Anthony Dean, Caroline Buchanan plus Saya and Kai Sakakibara, who are chasing Olympic selection.

Saya Sakakibara, 20, is eyeing her maiden Olympic selection and enters the 2020 season after multiple top-five finishes across the 2019 World Cup rounds as well as seventh at the World Championships. 

Also chasing his first Olympic team nod is world number nine Kai Sakakibara, 23, while 2016 Olympic finalist Dean, 28, will chase his second. 

Dual Olympian and eight-time world champion Caroline Buchanan, 29, will continue her comeback after a two-year absence from the sport as she chases a record third Games. 

While medals at the World Cups will be a nice result on home soil, Bootes is hoping to guide his athletes to their ultimate performance come July's Games in Tokyo. 

"I think the main goal for me and across the board is to provide good guidance to our riders so that they can deliver their best performance on the day," said Bootes.

"Obviously grabbing Olympic medals for freestyle or racing would be great, but if our riders can perform to the best of their ability then that will be just as successful."

Each city will host two rounds of the World Cup across the weekend, with qualifying and the early rounds taking part in the morning and early afternoon with the finals from 4pm onwards.

More details at www.bmxworldcup.com â€‹

Reigning world champion Brandon Loupos grabbed dual wins at the weekend in the Beenleigh Freestyle International C1 event on January 18-19.

Loupos soared to the wins on the newly built City of Logan’s $3.1million Doug Larsen Park BMX which was hosting its first event.

QUOTES

Darren Hicks
Just this last weekend, we saw seven world records broken,so  you don’t just win one race and that’s a good year, you need to keep winning. I won three of the four World Cups on the road, two world championships and three national championships, and that’s barely enough. We have such a strong para squad and it’s a pleasure to be a part of it. It’s amazing to get this award.  
 
Paige Greco 
I’ve had a really awesome year, and it means a lot. Every time I look at it reminds me of an awesome year and it’s my first year on the team. I’ve been working really hard, and it’s been really good to see the results. It’s been an amazing year and I still can’t believe where I have been with my teammates!

Alistair Donohoe
This award highlights the fact I had to win three world championships just to get the award. David Nicholas was in there and he didn’t get an award. We’ve got some serious depth so it’s kind of exciting. I am stoked [with where I’m at], it just feels amazing to be back where I think I should be, after some ill health in 2017, I am really building back up in 2019. 

I personally think this award personally means a lot to me tonight. 

Carol Cooke
We have such a strong group of para-cyclists and that many world champions on this team. That being singled out for this [award] is very special, especially at this age and you know I hope that by showing people that it doesn’t matter what number it is that’s attached to your age and that if you love doing something that you can just keep doing it and reap the benefits of it. I think that this year has probably been the best year I’ve ever had because I didn’t put the pressure on myself that I had to be on the top step it was about enjoying it, it was about having fun and I probably had the most fun that I’ve ever had in a year of racing. 

Brandon Loupos
I don’t think it could have been better. It was cool. I can’t wait for 2020. I did so much learning in 2019 and it’s all about keeping that consistency in 2020 and to go or the gold in Tokyo. Logan won it (this award) two years in a row and I am stoked to come away with the win this year, it’s definitely an honour and to be the elite BMX cyclist of the year is pretty special. There’s a lot of world champions who don’t get to win this award and I’m blessed to not only win a world championship but to also win this award. 
 
Saya Sakakibara
It was a challenging but fulfilling season. Compared to last year I didn’t produce the results; I had a lot of mental challenges and having six crashes in four months it was definitely really tough to line up on the gate with other riders. But with the worlds I thought my performance was really good, I didn’t get the results I wanted but it adds fuel to the fire and makes me a lot hungrier. I finished off the season with a win at the Olympic test event and is such a great confidence booster. 
 
Amanda Spratt
It’s been a really great year and I am really proud to get this award tonight it caps it off, I think it’s been my best year to date. Maybe I didn’t get the same results on paper as what I got last year but I am really, really proud to finish off with a bronze medal after a great team performance also. It’s amazing, I love coming to this event every year, you get so much motivation out of it. You see the videos of what people have done and hear some stories you maybe didn’t know about some people and it’s just a feeling of motivation and excitement. I always walk out of here, ready to bust into training the next day!
 
Ashlee Ankudinoff
It’s pretty humbling, to be honest. I’ve been in this sport for ten years now and it’s been a long time coming. I’ve had a successful career and now I am getting towards the end so it’s really nice to come here and celebrate the success, not just the success of myself but of others. I definitely think I am in the form of my life. I have a great support network back in Adelaide and the environment there is unbelievable. I have trust in the process in what we’re doing. I go to training every day knowing that I have the support from everyone from the Cycling Australia staff.  Olympic gold is why I am still riding. I definitely would not be riding if I had ticked all my goals off and the Olympic gold is definitely one, and hopefully next August I can do that.

Sam Welsford
It’s been a ripper year. I never thought I’d be able to go dual world champion in one year, so I’m just really over the moon. I love coming to the Awards, it’s such a special night, to see Australia’s best come through to all celebrate the year we’ve had. I get really gee’d up when I see the year’s recap video, it makes you really forget about the Awards itself and makes you realise how special it is to ride for Australia.  
 
(On Tim Decker receiving Coach of the Year Award) Tim holds a special place in my heart he’s been my coach for a long time, starting in 2015 when I first moved to Adelaide, Tim backed me a said “look mate, if you want to be apart of this you’ve got to put the work in” so, I trusted him from then on. Really happy for him to get that award and I know that he holds the award itself very close to him. He strives and works really hard for that I think this is just a testament to what he puts in. ​

Australia's Freestyle BMX stars will continue their chase toward the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Rampfest Indoor Skate Park in Melbourne's inner west when it hosts the inaugural Oceania Freestyle BMX Championships from December 7-8. 

The weekend will include two Pro/Elite Competitions - the Oceania Championships and the Rampfest International C1.  Plus, amateur and junior competition classes for young riders to compete alongside the Pro’s.

Sydney's Brandon Loupos, who was crowned 2019 world champion earlier this month in China, will be in action along with 2017 world champion Logan Martin of the Gold Coast. 

“Winning the World Championships was a dream come true - it’s taken a bit to sink in, but I’m so grateful to everyone who helped me achieve this.  And now, I can’t wait to come down to Melbourne and ride in front of a home crowd again," said Loupos, who is also the reigning Australian National Champion having won the inaugural title at Rampfest in November 2018. 

The women's field will be headlined by Queensland's Natalya Diehm who launched into contention for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after a stunning World Championship debut for Australia to finish sixth.

With Freestyle BMX included in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games for the first time, the Oceania Championships will be a key opportunity for top Australian athletes to earn critical qualification points for the games. 

Australia currently sits in second in the Olympic Points Rankings to the USA, with the top nation at the end of the qualification period (in May 2020) securing two athlete positions in the competition for Tokyo 2020.   

An incredible two days of competition is expected at Rampfest which will be open from 9am each day for anyone to come down and watch the action.

Entry for spectators is FREE.

Riders can enter the contest via the event website.

Details

• Event Date:  7-8 December 2019
• Location:  Rampfest Indoor Skate Park, 47-85 Hillary St, Braybrook VIC 3019
• Event Website:  rampfest.com.au

Dual Olympian Caroline Buchanan has burst back onto the BMX racing stage over the weekend after finding the podium twice in her first C1 and HC event since her accident back in late 2017.

The eight-time BMX and Mountain Bike world champion Buchanan suffered a horrific accident while driving an off-road vehicle on New Year's Eve in 2017 which resulted in life-threatening injuries, including a broken sternum, collapsed lungs, a broken nose and dangerous bleeding around her heart.  The injuries would keep her off the bike for nineteen months, with the 28-year-old suffering a number of setbacks during rehabilitation. 

Caroline's Indonesian comeback came at the Banyuwangi BMX International in Indonesia, which also had a multitude of talent on show including Australia's elite men's national series champion Joshua Boyton, junior rider Damon Hocking.

Lining up on the gate alongside Buchanan was New Zealand's Sarah Walker, and the pair squared off like they have on so many occasions in the elite women's class. 

Day 1 had Walker find the top spot on the podium, with Buchanan narrowly missing out after leading for the majority of the race. 

The following day was Australia's most successful, and for Buchanan, a big return to the international BMX racing stage as she beat home Walker to the top spot on the podium.

Brandon Loupos claimed the rainbow jersey, Logan Martin took silver, while Natalya Diehm moved Australia a step closer to Olympic qualification, in a dominant display by Australia in the BMX Freestyle finals at the 2019 Urban Cycling World Championships in China on Sunday. 

"It (rainbow jersey) has been my phone background for 365 days, now it is on my chest, I can't believe it. I am absolutely speechless," said Loupos, the 2018 World Championship bronze medallist. 

"It just shows you dreams can come true if you put your mind and heart to it and you just go for it."

Loupos, 26, began Sunday's final in unfortunate circumstances, crashing on a backflip attempt in his first run. However, in a stunning second run, Loupos shot to the top of the leaderboard with a double backflip, flair whip, a 1080, a 720 into a double whip transfer and cash roll, before ending with a five flair scoring 93.20 points. 

"I can't believe what is going on right now, especially after crashing in my first run. I was thinking about whether I should change my run or stay consistent for my second run," Loupos said. "But I said stick to the plan, went out there and just charged. 

"I put everything into God's hands, I asked the Lord to give me the strength to get through the second run. Thank you to the man above watching over me, not for giving me the world title, but for allowing me to finish my run fit and healthy and be able to ride again tomorrow."

'sSydney's Loupos opened the 2019 season in stunning style by recording the highest score ever recorded at a World Cup at the first round in Japan in April. In September, he claimed gold at the inaugural Urban Games in Hungary. 

"I couldn't be happier. So stoked to be standing here right now, stoked to be Australian and representing Australia," said Loupos, who is targeting a spot on the Australian team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games where the discipline will make its Olympic debut.
 
"My goal is to represent my country, I feel just being there (Tokyo) would be winning, but I want to go there and not just get a medal, but win a gold medal for my country."

2017 world champion Logan Martin scored 92.90 in a clean first run to sit just behind his teammate in second. But Queensland's Martin was felled by a flat tyre in his second run, the final run of the day, which sealed the world title for Loupos. 

"I was feeling good all weekend, and during practice today I also got a flat so I had to regain my composure, get my wheel fixed and back into the zone and do the run I had planned,"said Martin, 25, the dual 2019 X Games gold medallist who also finished the 2019 FISE World Series in second overall. "I did that and it got me into second place, but in my second run, I, unfortunately, got another flat.  

"But congratulations to Brandon, it was a great result for Australia."

Queensland's Natalya Diehm, 22, launched Australia into contention for the women's competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after a stunning World Championship debut for Australia.

Diehm, finished sixth in the BMX Park Final to move Australia closer to securing a position at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

"My first run didn't go as planned, but I did my best in my second run, even though I was trying to play it safe," Diehm, who took out the 2019 Vans BMX Pro-Skate Park Series in her first international season.

Only nine women will get to contest the Freestyle competition in Tokyo, which will be comprised of two riders from the top-ranked nation, one rider from each nation ranked second to fifth, and one rider from host nation Japan. The final two spots will go to the next two best countries outside the top five at the end of qualifying in May.

"I am super happy for myself, and everyone here, and I hope this means we get a spot at the Tokyo Olympics," added Diehm.

​Martin, Loupos and Diehm will head back to Australia where they will contest the Oceania Championships in Melbourne followed by the 2019 Cycling Australia National Championships in Brisbane this December.

Brisbane's Natalya Diehm will sport the Australian Team green and gold for the first time this weekend as she embarks on her maiden World Championships campaign.

The 2019 UCI Urban World Championships in Chengdu, China, will also double as a key qualifying opportunity for Diehm the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games where the sport will make its debut.

Diehm, 22, who started in the sport at the age of eight years at a local skatepark on her ride home from school, only launched her international career twelve months ago.

She enters the 2019 World Championships off the back of victory in the 2019 Vans BMX Pro Cup which featured events in the USA, Australia, Germany and Mexico.

"I've had some massive highs this year like winning Vans, but coming into Worlds there's a different kind of pressure," Diehm said. "I'm just wanting to perform at my best and hope it all goes well."

Only nine women will get to contest the Tokyo 2020 Games Freestyle competition comprised of two riders from the top ranked nation, one rider from each nation ranked second to fifth, with one rider automatically qualifying from host nation Japan.

With Australia currently ranked tenth, and the World Championships one of the last key events before the qualifying ends in May, Diehm is hoping to secure as many qualifying points this weekend to Australia is one of the top two nations outside the top five.

"My goal is try and qualify for a spot in the 2020 Olympics. All I can do is my best and hopefully that gets me a spot."

As Australia's lone female competitor at the Worlds, and just one of a handful women who compete in the sport domestically, Diehm understands the challenges for women competing in the fledgling discipline.

"It has been a struggle, but when you love something so much you find a way to be able to continue. I would love to see more women in Australia get into the sport!"

Diehm will take part in qualifying on Saturday, with finals on Sunday.

2019 World Championships

The 2019 UCI Urban Cycling World Championships will take place in Chengdu, China, from 6-10 November 2019. 
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• Team Australia Hub australiancyclingteam.com/urbanworlds19
• Championship Website www.urbanworlds.cn 
  
• Results uci.org/uci-urban-cycling-world-championships 

ELITE MEN

• Logan Martin - Gold Coast: 2017 World Champion; Current leader - 2019 FISE World Cup Standings; Dual gold - 2019 Summer X Games; 2nd - 2019 Urban World Games
• Brandon Loupos - Sydney: Gold - 2019 Urban Games winner; Bronze - 2018 World Championships; Gold - 2019 World Cup Round 1,  2018 National Champion
• Jake Wallwork - Melbourne: Gold -2018 World Cup Round 3; 4th - 2018 World Championships: 3rd - 2018 National Championships 
• Jason Watts - Melbourne:  2019 Vans BMX Pro-Skate Park Series: 2nd - 2018 National Championships. 

ELITE WOMEN

• Natalya Diehm - Gladstone: Winner - 2019 Vans BMX Pro-Skate Park Series; 9th/13th 2019 World Cups