Saya Sakakibara has climbed her Mt Everest by claiming Olympic gold in the BMX racing final in Paris. The 23-year-old’s complete domination of the rest of the field - winning by almost a full-second - is one thing. But what makes the stunning achievement even more special is that Sakakibara had made a pact to bring home a medal for her brother Kai. Kai, who was forced to retire from BMX racing in 2020 after suffering a serious brain injury at a World Cup event, has been Sakakibara’s inspiration.

20K views · 829 reactions | Saya Sakakibara  steps up to the pressure and makes it count! No better way to kick-off the 2024 UCI BMX Racing World Cup than with a Women Elite 磊 victory at the opening round. BMX World Cup NZ AusCycling BMX #bmxracing #BMXRacingWC | UCI BMX Racing | Facebook