Six Australian cyclists were named opposite BMX racing, BMX freestyle and Mountain bike cycling events for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) on Friday.
Olympic champion Logan Martin30 and the 25 year old Natalya Diehmwho finished fifth in Tokyo three years ago, will compete in the men’s and women’s BMX freestyle events, respectively.
Logan, a silver medalist at the 2023 World Championships, was second in the Olympic qualifying series in Shanghai before missing the final in Budapest. Natalya finished sixth in the Olympic qualifying round to secure her place on the Australian team.
Izaac Kennedy, the 23-year-old Olympic debutant, will compete in the men’s BMX races, while Lauren Reynolds, 33, and Saya Sakakibara, 24, will pedal the women’s BMX races.
Rebecca Henderson, 32, will be the only Australian mountain bike rider at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Lauren Reynolds and Rebecca Henderson will join Anna Meares as the only Australian cyclists to compete in four Olympics.
“Izaac and Saya come in as World Cup champions and will go out to show their impressive form in Paris,” Deputy Chef de Mission Ken Wallace said in announcing the team at the AusCycling Indoor BMX Training Facility on the Gold Coast.
“Logan made his own history as the first BMX Freestyle Olympian in Tokyo and Natalya is fighting back from injuries to qualify as one of the top 6 riders in the Olympic qualifying series,” added Wallace.
The six athletes named on Friday join the 19 track and road cyclists announced last week to make up Australia’s 25-strong cycling team for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The mountain bike events will take place on July 28 and 29 at Elancourt Hill. The BMX freestyle races will take place at La Concorde from July 30th and 31st, while the BMX races will take place on August 1st and 2nd at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines BMX Stadium.
Australian cyclists have a rich Olympic heritage, having won 52 medals – 13 gold, 19 silver and 20 bronze – at the Summer Games to date.
Australia’s BMX cycling team for the Paris 2024 Olympics
- BMX freestyle: Natalya Diehm – women’s event
- BMX freestyle: Logan Martin – men’s event\
- Racing BMX: Lauren Reynolds, Saya Sakakibara – women’s event
- Racing BMX: Izaac Kennedy – men’s event
Australia’s mountain bike entry for the Paris 2024 Olympics
- Rebecca Henderson – women’s event