As they watch the aggressive fight to the finish
between some of the top professional BMX riders in the country, the next eight
riders position themselves ready for their start. They spin their feet back to
get in the correct position. They adjust helmet visors. They stand. They sit.
They flex and unflex their gloved hands and tighten them around handlebars.
This has become ritual for them after so many years in the sport. The universal
BMX gate start begins its call: “Riders ready. Watch the gate”. They all stand,
eyes fixed on the lights at the bottom of the start hill, feet perched on clip
pedals, as ready as lions in pursuit of prey. But the heats of pro men and
women have been run and won. These eight riders, perhaps the most enthusiastic
and well-loved athletes at this event that boasts more than 600 riders, are the
cream of the crop: the 50+ men’s category.
With a roar of expended energy that dissolves
all nervous tension, the rider in lane 8, thrusts his body forward as the gate
drops. The race is on. Butch Broomfield, who likes lane 8 “because you’re away
from all the trouble” is almost seventy, but puts in as much effort as his
competitors. Often he races against those who are more than twenty years his
junior.
This is certainly not the Olympics. It is not
even the Australian titles, although the caliber of racing suggests it could
be. This is the South Queensland Championships. There may not be a huge cheque for
the winner or sponsorship deals on the line, but this man’s passion and fitness
level rival his counterparts of all ages. In a way, this much-loved ‘grandpa’
of the sport, who thrives on the camaraderie and family involvement within the
BMX community, sets the tone of the entire zone of South East Queensland. A
zone that has much potential for the future.
BMX is a rapidly growing sport,
partly due to its inclusion in the 2008 Olympics. Australia is the second
largest BMX nation in the world behind the United States, where the competitive
side of the sport originated in the late 60’s. At a professional
level, Australia is currently ranked third in the world behind USA and
The Netherlands. At an amateur level, BMX Australia is an organization with 17,000
members from the age of two to 75 years. There are 120 BMX clubs across the country.
Fifteen of those are in South East Queensland.
Despite the disappointment experienced by Australian riders at the Rio
Olympics, the BMX community in South Queensland is certainly alive and
thriving. When asked his opinion of the current success of local riders, Butch
Broomfield credits the many quality tracks available for training. He first got
involved in the sport when his three sons were young. “There was no regular club training sessions
back then,” he said. From Butch’s local track at Browns Plains on Brisbane’s
south, he is within a 45-minute drive from at least 6 other tracks. Keen South Queensland BMX enthusiasts can
train at a different track nearly every night of the week.
As well as this abundance of tracks, there are also plenty of
opportunities to race. Paul Connors, who is a BMX official at a local and
international level and the vice president of BMX Queensland, is amazed that
Queensland riders have the opportunity to race at 67 race meets over a year.
“In theory, you can race every weekend. You don’t get this quality of racing
anywhere else in the world,” he commented.
Paul Connors and his 21-year-old son both stumbled across BMX racing in
Castle Hill, NSW, about 16 years ago. Paul started officiating after he himself
was badly injured during a BMX race. Despite the risks of this fast-paced sport,
young Kerod had decided he enjoyed BMX better than soccer, and Paul wanted some
way to stay involved. “I have always
been a firm believer that if you think you can improve things, get up off your
backside and give it a go.”
Paul, who has been selected to work as an official at four BMX world
titles, is an asset to BMX South Queensland. Due to his business background, he
has a passion for developing this exciting sport into one that has a
professional image and is “more than just a backyard sport”. He and Butch, who are
often seen chatting together at local race meets, both agree that the inclusion
of BMX in the Olympics has been very positive for the image of BMX. In 2012, Australia’s Sam Willoughby put
Australia on the BMX world map when he finished with a silver medal. This year
in Rio, five Australian riders competed. Our two top ranked male riders stormed
their way through preliminary motos to qualify first and second for the final.
Unfortunately, the unpredictable, often heart-breaking, circumstances of BMX
prevented both of them from winning a medal.
While Butch admits to being more interested in the new riders styling it
up on local tracks, he does agree that BMX in the Olympics has helped with the
development of the sport he has loved for so long. “The Olympics are the best
thing that has ever come out of BMX.” He
remembers being told back in 1999 that he was just taking part in a little
kids’ sport. “Now there is more exposure. It’s accepted as a sport for any age.”
Butch says that he loves to ride around the track on training nights helping
out the newer riders, showing them the tricky jumps. He’s amazed at their
energy as they do lap after lap. Butch chuckles as he adds, “I get tired just
watching them.”
Paul agrees and was very excited about following the results of the BMX
in Rio. As an official, Paul has had the
privilege of being very close to race starts at a very senior level. Close
enough to be able to read the fierce determination inside the small window of
the riders’ full-faced helmets. Close, even, to many of the Olympians who
battled it out in Rio. Paul would love
to be involved as an official in the next Olympics in Tokyo in 2020. He is very positive about the quality of the
high performance program available to elite Australian athletes. “Their
programs are world-class, leading edge.” With these programs continuing to
develop scientifically, he is sure to be joined in Tokyo by some very strong Australian
BMX talent. Talent that may very well be developed and nurtured in South
Queensland.
One very talented local rider is
Des’Ree Barnes, who Butch described as having “skill level out of this world”.
Paul Connors added that “the world is Des’Ree’s oyster”. This striking blonde-haired BMX rider from the
Redlands area in Brisbane’s south, who is known by locals as Desiracer, has
dominated her age group at every level since she was tiny. She followed her
brother, who is now 18, into the sport. “I thought it would be more of a fad,”
her dad, Luke, confessed. “Being a girl, I thought it wouldn’t last.” At age
six, she took part in the BMX world titles in Adelaide. “We only went to the
world titles because it was in Australia,” Des’Ree reflected. Luke made a deal
with his competitive daughter that if she made the final in Adelaide, he would
take her to the next world titles in South Africa. She ended up winning. Luke’s
tone reflected a state of awe when he admitted, “If the event wasn’t in our
backyard, then who knows whether we ever would have gone.” The family headed
over to South Africa with seven-year-old Des’Ree, and she finished second. “This
gave us motivation to keep going.” Des’Ree has gone on to win five world titles
since then, including this year in Colombia.
Des’Ree was old enough to start racing in
the pro women’s age category this year.
So far, she has earned an impressive amount of prize money for one so
young and won the Grands
Challenge award in Bathurst in March. This will assist her financially to travel
to the U.S. for The Grands, a popular race series in November. Her long term
goal is Tokyo 2020.
Des’Ree and her dad share an obviously
close bond. He is her coach, her mentor. He is also a very competitive racer in
his own age group, having achieved world and Australian rankings in recent
years. She trusts and respects him as a fellow rider. This trust, along with
her almost fearless determination, has become one of the secrets of her
success. She works very hard and is willing to learn. Even if she wins a race, Luke
says that “she will always come and ask for feedback on what she does right or
wrong”. Des’Ree and Luke make the most of the many local tracks and
almost-weekly racing in South Queensland. Currently, South East Queensland is arguably
the strongest zone in Australia. Thirty-three riders from South Queensland
competed at this year’s world titles in Colombia. They brought home 17 of the 36 world plates
won by Australians. (Including 3 out of the 6 gold medals, 5 out of the 9
silver and 3 out of the 3 bronze.)
Samantha Domin is proud to be the secretary for BMX South
Queensland, a role she describes as “extremely busy, humbling and one that I
enjoy tremendously”. She has her own rich heritage in this fast-growing sport,
also following her brother into BMX when she was just three years old. She raced until she was 15, then returned to
the sport as a volunteer and official about eight years ago.
Recently, Sam had the unique experience of watching her own little
girl make her debut in the newest age category created by BMX in Australia:
mini wheelers. Commonly known as balance bikes, they have no pedals and are
designed for children aged two to four years. “It was such a surreal feeling that day,” Sam
admits, a little emotionally. “I was full of nerves for her to have the best
experience and to fall in love with the sport like I did all those years ago”. Little Mackaylah’s triumphant smile as she
strode across the finish line was priceless. It seems that Sam has nothing to
be nervous about!
Along with the great tracks and racing opportunities, Sam credits
the strength of the zone to the way the BMX South Queensland committee is
passionate “to give back to the riders and give them every opportunity to
develop and grow as athletes”. They see
it as very important to look after the grass roots of the sport. “One day they
may well be our next Olympians. We certainly have the calibre here to have some
Olympic champions,” Sam reflected.
Within the BMX South Queensland zone, riders of all ages are being
nurtured in an environment that is not dissimilar to a family. Sam ponders, “It
absolutely astounds me…that these great people will go above and beyond to do
anything that is needed to support and help each other. There are not too many
other sports I know that have this spirit.”
Des’Ree and her dad, Paul, Butch and Sam joined thousands of Australian
fans cheering on our BMX Olympians in Rio. They were all proud of our BMX
athletes, despite their disappointment. They understood, perhaps more than most,
how heart-breaking and fickle this sport can be. And yet, they all keep turning up.
The heart of BMX in South Queensland is bursting with support from
families and riders who have a long-term passion for the sport. Officials are
determined to lift BMX up to a productive commercial entity. Parents are coaches
and fellow riders who are willing to sacrifice for their children to achieve
their goals. Talented riders are in abundance. The community has the warmth and
nurture of an extended family. The depth of passion and commitment is strong.
As Des’Ree Barnes sets herself up at the gate for the final of the pro
women, a handful of parents line up along the third straight. Some stumble
slightly as they make their way up the face of the steep jump, slippery from
loose dust. Some carry children. Some bend over to push their little ones who
are kitted up and ready to race. Some chase after their toddlers who have far
too much energy for this time of day. They all line up. The children look at
each other. Some look to mum or dad for support. Some need to be grabbed before
they intentionally false start. Sam Domin stands behind her little girl who is
keen to race again. Chief official, Paul Connors gives the race call. “Riders
ready? And…go.” Little legs stride. Parents watch anxiously. Butch Broomfield,
pauses before heading up for his own final. He looks on with delight and hope
for the future. Des’Ree clips in and prepares for her race, watching with a
smile as the future champions of her beloved sport finish their race to the
exuberant cheers of the enthusiastic South Queensland crowd.
BMX in South Queensland is certainly alive and healthy and the future is
looking very bright.
