A SOUTH Cumbrian primary school boy hopes that he will one day live the Olympic dream after becoming British Champion in one of the nation's favourite dare devil sports.
Leon Parker, seven, from Windermere village, has become the British BMX Champion following his victory in the British BMX Championships at Alvaston Park in Derby.
With its origins in southern Californian dirt track racing, BMX exploded in popularity in the early 1980s. The first BMX world championships were held in 1982 but it wasn’t until 1993 that the International Cycling Union integrated the discipline.
BMX became a staple of the X-Games but in 2008 the sport made its debut at the Beijing Olympic Games, which catapulted it onto a global stage.
London 2012 promised a lasting legacy for the sport of BMX and it has not disappointed. New clubs, tracks and competitions have sprung up over the country, as children and adults alike have been inspired to take to the dirt tracks. The sport, which was still dominated by American riders, was one of the most hair-raising in the Rio Olympics last month which will no doubt prompt even more new riders to take it up.
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The British Championships, in which Leon was competing, are the biggest event in the UK BMX calendar, with more than 1,000 competitors in action across the weekend, including many British Cycling Academy athletes. There are 33 different classes for the riders, starting with the Six and Unders class.
This year’s BMX Championships saw a record number of competitors, and the crowning of many new champions across the various disciplines and age groups, including Leon, who raced to victory in the final of the Seven and Unders class, seeing off the challenge of his nearest competitors.
Leon, from Windermere, said: “I’m really happy I won the final, and standing on the podium to be presented with the trophy was brilliant.
"I hope I can carry on winning BMX events and maybe one day I can compete at the Olympics.”
The seven-year-old thrill seeker, who attends Windermere School, had to fight hard for his British victory, particularly in the semi-final, where his track craft paid off in a nail-biting, final charge down the last straight to ensure a narrow victory. The final was slightly more straightforward, with Leon leading from start to finish.
Leon’s victory in the British BMX Championships comes on the back of an excellent sixth place in the European BMX Championships in Verona, Italy.
WATCH LEON (NUMBER 6) IN THE EUROPEAN FINAL IN VERONA:
His mum, Renate Parker, is obviously very proud of her son’s achievements. She said: “We’re absolutely thrilled for Leon. All his hard work has paid off, and being crowned British Champion is the icing on the cake.
"Both championships were tough, but Verona was particularly hard. Leon was at the track for 12 hours and it was so hot. But he stuck it out.”
Leon is also the National BMX Champion, having travelled up and down the country competing in the National Series, in which he won eight out of his 10 races. His achievements have been followed by all of his friends and teachers who have backed him all the way.
Rachael Thomas, Head of the Elleray Campus at Windermere School, said: “Pupils and staff have been keenly following Leon’s success and are thrilled that he has not only retained his National title, but is also the British BMX champion.
"We are always so proud of our students when they set themselves challenges and succeed on this kind of level.”
FACTFILE: BMX biking for beginners
Don't know anything about the sport but feeling inspired by Leon Parker's outstanding performance? We have outlined a few of the most basic facts about BMX...
1. BMX cycling offers a wide range of challenges across the sport but, from supercross racing to freestyle tricks, the skills required are developed from a passion for cycling creativity and adrenaline.
2. Not necessarily a cycle sport that requires membership of a club, BMX is often learnt in gardens, local parks and pavements before the riders feel confident to start competing.
3. BMX racing take place on a growing number of purpose-built outdoor and indoor tracks throughout the country. Made from compacted dirt and tarmac, tracks are around 400-metres long and feature a large starting ramp, banked (bermed) corners and a variety of jumps including tabletops, gap jumps and rhythm sections.
4. The Olympic standard track at Manchester’s National BMX Centre is unique in the UK - an indoor track with an eight-metre high start ramp.
5. BMX race meetings offer relentless, all-day action, which begins with qualifying heats, called ‘motos’. Up to eight riders contest each moto, before moving on through further knockout rounds until the final, which decides the overall winner. Races usually last well under a minute and are run off in quick succession, meaning that it’s an exciting non-stop day for riders and spectators alike.
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