So, you might not think of China when you imagine BMX Freestyle, right? But hold up, because they've got big dreams for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Coach Daniel Dhers, this BMX pro from Venezuela who also snagged a silver medal in Tokyo, is pushing China into the spotlight for this cool Olympic sport.
Getting Strategic with BMX Freestyle
This guy Daniel Dhers is like the mastermind behind China's newfound love for BMX Freestyle. He says it's still pretty new to the Olympics, and China saw their chance to shine. They've got this thing called the "119 project" that started before the 2008 games in Beijing. It's all about getting good at sports they weren't so hot at before, and winning more medals. And they're not messing around, aiming for a total of 119 of them.
But here's the catch, BMX Freestyle wasn't even on their radar for Tokyo 2020. The pandemic threw a wrench in their plans, so now they're really going for it in Paris.
Learning from the Best
Last April, China brought in Dhers to coach their BMX Freestyle peeps. This dude's not just any coach; he's kind of a big deal. His skatepark in North Carolina is like BMX Mecca for riders, including this Swiss champ Nikita Ducarroz who took home bronze in Tokyo after training with him.
Now, China's got two badass female BMX riders under his wing, and they're all about scoring some serious bling in Paris. Dhers' experience is like gold for them, and they're hoping to use it to win big.
The Road to Paris 2024
As we get closer to the Paris Games, everyone's gonna be watching China's BMX Freestyle team. They're dead set on making waves in the sport and adding to China's medal haul. So keep an eye out for these ladies tearing up the track and maybe, just maybe, bringing home some shiny new hardware for their country.