Sakakibara Scores Debut Victory in USA BMX Pro Series

NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship athlete Saya Sakakibara has returned to top-flight competition with a bang, taking her first USA BMX Pro Series win over the weekend in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Competing on Friday at the Legacy Nationals, Sakakibara scored top-three finishes in all three motos to claim the round win.

Although a crash scuppered hopes of a repeat victory on day two, the Southlake-Illawarra rider did enough to finish third overall on Saturday.

After sustaining a concussion in June, Sakakibara spent most of last season away from competition.

The 23-year-old returned to racing at the AusCycling BMX Racing National Championships in November, where she successfully defended her national title . Last month, she added the 2023 Oceania Championship to her tally.

However, the Legacy Nationals were Sakakibara’s first true test against the world’s best since her concussion: four of the top 15 riders in the world were also competing in Tulsa.

Fellow Australian Lauren Reynolds continued to build on her legacy, taking overall fourth and second respectively over the weekend.

In the men’s competition, Izaac Kennedy had a frustrating event. The Brisbane rider was disqualified after leading the Main moto on day one from start to finish, while a crash on Saturday denied Kennedy another chance of a podium finish.

The next stop of the USA BMX Pro Series is the Music City Nationals in Nashville from May 26–28.

Article courtesy of Australian Cycling