Sport
19 March, 2024
Four-year-old ready for BMX journey
At the age of four, Winya resident Jai Macdonald is already entrenched in the competitive sport of BMX riding.
Next on his agenda is his first interstate trek for BMX riding, as he will compete in Adelaide as part of a nationals series on April 13 and 14.
Jai will be in the Under 5 Sprockets division, while the event will be televised on SBS.
It’s been only about 12 months since Jai began BMX riding, following a suggestion from Brendan Able who works with Jai’s dad Robert.
Jai started in the Mini Wheelers division which featured a balance bike, but it was only a matter of weeks before he upgraded to the Sprockets division which featured a bike with pedals.
Brendan has done one-on-one training with Jai, while Craig Jones and Zoe Austin have also been involved in Jai’s training and development at Caboolture BMX Club.
Jai’s mum Leah said,
“We went to Caboolture on his balance bike, and he hasn’t looked back.
“He’s just a freak at it.
“He took to it so naturally, and has got a natural knack for it.”
One of the youngest competitors in the sport, Jai has become friends with an even younger competitor; a three-year-old girl from Nerang.
Jai won the first event he competed in, which was the Mini Wheelers division in a state championship at Toowoomba last May.
Jai also placed third in a nationals series last year, with one race at Redlands and another at Gympie.
The Winya resident has also been bruised from a couple of mishaps, but he has learned to keep going rather than allow the setbacks to get the better of him.
On one occasion last year, Jai flew over the handlebars as he had a crash.
In last month’s state series at the Chandler-based Sleeman Sports Complex, Jai not only fell off his bike during a crash, but also had four bikes ride over the top of him while he was on the ground.
Despite this, he finished the race and placed fourth.
In the U5 Sprockets division in the next few days, Jai placed second in the Oceania championships and first in the nationals, both at Sleeman Sports Complex.
While Jai often has two or three 60- to 90-minute training sessions each week, his routine has been disrupted due to the Caboolture BMX track being flooded earlier this year.
Training has since been done in his backyard, and at tracks in Strathpine and the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.
LJC Concreting and Wright’s Posi Hire will sponsor Jai for his upcoming Adelaide venture.
