BMX Bandits Go For Beijing Olympic Gold

This year, the sport of BMX makes it official Olympic debut, and Australia is represented by its very own crew of BMX bandits. Here’s an idea of what we’re in for ...

Australian rider Kamakazi will be chasing gold on Day 12 in Beijing.

Editorial Review

A new sport makes its Olympic debut on Day 12, or at least a new discipline within an old sport.

Cycling has been around forever, but BMX racing was only invented in the late 1960s and has been pushing for Olympic inclusion for more than a decade.

In case you didn't know, BMX is a shortening of bicycle motocross and started out with kids on bikes in vacant lots trying to imitate what motocross riders could do on dirt bikes with engines.

Now, with the Olympic movement's push to freshen up the Games with events that appeal to a younger demographic, such as beach volleyball and triathlon, BMX is on the program in Beijing.

"The world's in for a shock," says Kyle Bennett, America's top-ranked rider and a three-time world champion.

Well, it will be a short, sharp shock.

Riders launch down the eight-metre start hill and do one lap of the twisting 370-metre course, reaching speeds of around 40 kmh.

It's all over in about 40 seconds. Get it right or go down in a screaming heap of flesh and metal trying.

There are 32 men and 16 women at the Olympics and they'll try to go down the start hill and around the course eight abreast.

It's all about speed and speed alone. Unlike freestyle and dirt jumping, where riders flip in the air, these riders will be trying to stay as close to the ground as possible.

What of Australia's chances? Well Luke Madill wanted an edge so he built a full-size replica of the Olympic track in his Penrith backyard.

By the way, in 2006, Madill crashed heavily, broke three vertebrae, his nose and his hand and had a blood clot in his spinal cord. He was paralysed for three weeks and doctors told him he would never compete again, but here he is about to represent his country at the Olympics.

Then there is TAFKAJH - the athlete formerly known as Jamie Hildebrandt. You can call him Kamakazi (he changed his name by deed poll).

Jared Graves, Tanya Bailey and Nicole Callisto round out the Aussie team, and of course they are all primed to show off their sport to the wider sporting world.

"A lot of people think it's kids riding on the street," says 28-year-old Madill. "A lot of people don't know what it's about. Just about every kid out there has a BMX bike."

"I hope it shows well on TV and we put on a good show."

Murray Brust in Beijing for Citysearch

View Citysearch's TV guide for details of Olympic Games coverage.