Super Saya Sakakibara blitzes BMX field en route to dominant gold medal
Updated . First published at
Saya Sakakibara has won gold in the women's BMX racing in an incredibly dominant win in the final in Paris, sparking heartwarming celebrations with her bronze medal-winning boyfriend and, of course, her brother and biggest supporter, Kai.
The Aussie had qualified for the final on the back of winning all three of her semi-final heats which, combined with her three quarter-final wins, gave her a six-race winning streak before the medals were decided.
She didn't let up in the final, leading from start to finish to claim Australia's first-ever gold in the event.
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Saya Sakakibara has won gold in the women's BMX racing. Tim de Waele/Getty Images
But despite the flawless Olympic campaign, the gold was still a stunning comeback for Sakakibara.
She had been badly concussed and stretchered from the track following a brutal crash in Tokyo, cruelling her medal hopes in 2021 and evoking memories of the terrifying crash that left brother Kai in a coma and with a traumatic brain injury.
He was trackside to watch his sister's victory – as she wore his number, 77 – and was the first person Saya rushed to embrace following the medal ceremony.
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"It's crazy because three years ago she could have done it but she didn't and now she is doing it," he said after the race.
"It's crazy. It really is crazy."
With the medal draped around her neck, Sakakibara was equally full of praise for her brother.
"None of this would have happened without Kai, without him pushing me to be the best I can be, without him introducing me into the sport, without him pushing me along, just everything," she said.
"I owe so much to him. I feel like I am so indebted to Kai ... this is definitely for the both of us, 100 per cent."
Earlier in the men's final, Australian Izaac Kennedy started strongly only to crash out at the first turn, giving France a complete lockout of the podium.
One of those taking a medal was Sakakibara's boyfriend, Romain Mahieu, who stayed near the finish line to congratulate her as soon as she claimed gold.
"I don't know what to say, I knew she could do it," he told Nine.
Sakakibara was immediately congratulated by boyfriend and bronze medal winner Romain Mahieu. AP Photo/Thibault Camus
"She has been working so hard, I am just so proud of her. It is everything she deserves.
"She has been through everything... almost stopped racing and now she is showing how good she is.
"We are going to need some time to let it sink in and just understand what happened."
