One of the Illawarra's Olympic stars – elite BMX athlete Saya Sakakibara – honed her racing skills at Southlake Illawarra BMX Club near Albion Park.
Saya – currently in Paris for her second Olympics – grew up in Helensburgh and spent many of her formative years training at the club near Albion Park.
“Look, she's phenomenal,” said Marcos Baez, the president of Southlake Illawarra BMX club.
“When she's on her day, she’s the best in the world.”
Growing talent
Founded in the early 1980s, Southlake Illawarra is one of NSW's oldest BMX clubs. It is known for its community, family focus and for helping develop some great talent over the years.
Saya and her older brother, Kai, became members in 2007.
Southlake Illawarra BMX Club was instrumental in the Sakakibara siblings' development as BMX athletes. Saya and Kai went on to achieve world BMX success and were both tipped to impress at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (eventually held in 2021 due to delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic). However, on February 8, 2020, Kai, 23 years old at the time, crashed in his opening-round heat of the UCI BMX World Cup event at Bathurst and suffered a traumatic brain injury that ended his BMX career.
Later this week, when Saya competes in Paris, she will be wearing Kai's old race number, 77, in honour of her brother.
Join the club
Southlake Illawarra BMX Club is dedicated to providing the best for its riders, demonstrated by a $200,000 investment in track upgrades, including a new start gate, remodelling, resurfacing, and a new sprint lane. The club has also bought essential equipment, such as bikes, full-face helmets and gloves, to make the sport more accessible for new riders.
If you've been inspired by the Sakakibara spirit and want to try the sport, all you need is a long-sleeved shirt, pants and enclosed shoes. Riders do need a cycling licence, but the club offers a four-week free trial for all newcomers.
“You can basically try the sport without spending a cent,” Marcos said.
“You just need a good attitude and are ready to have fun.”
While many kids gravitate towards team sports, BMX offers an alternative for those who thrive in individual sports, including kids with anxiety or ADHD, Marcos said. For adults, BMX is a chance to get fit and engage in a challenging, non-mainstream sport that families can enjoy together.
“You don't get a lot of sports that you can have a kid ride with their mum or dad, or both,” Marcos said.
“It's hard, it's challenging and it's one of those sports I don't think it ever really gets any easier.”
The club is also keen to help competitors. It provides practice sessions, club racing and experienced coaching, including by multiple Australian champion Leanna Curtis. The club has also linked up with the Illawarra Academy of Sports (IAS) and it guides athletes, such as Blake Mete, to compete in state-level events.
“I'm heavily involved in the sport, I officiate at large events,” Marcos said. “We just stay involved and informed with what's going on in the BMX world, which helps any potential.”
If you would like to get involved, check out Southlake Illawarra BMX Club's Facebook page. To read more about Saya, check out a previous article.
Save the date
The women's BMX racing at the Paris 2024 Olympics is scheduled for August 2 (quarter-finals) and August 3 (semi-finals and final).
