After her brother suffered a brain injury in a bike crash, this Olympic BMX rider has a new perspective on what success means

CNN —

BMX rider Saya Sakakibara is all too aware of the risks of her chosen profession.

Her brother sustained a traumatic brain injury while racing, and Sakakibara has had two severe concussions, the second of which made her seriously consider quitting.

The Australian was leading during one of the semifinals at the Tokyo Games in 2021, when a collision with another racer just before the finish line resulted in a “pretty bad concussion” that prematurely ended her Olympic debut.

“I remember waking up and just being in disbelief,” Sakakibara told CNN Sport.

A concussion happens after a “bump, blow, or jolt to the head” or “a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move quickly back and forth,” according to guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Another concussion in June 2022 in the middle of her World Cup campaign pushed Sakakibara towards breaking point.

“When I was in Switzerland going through rehab, literally, I was like, ‘What’s the point? I’m going through so much pain right now and BMX has given me a lot of grief,’” said Sakakibara.

“I didn’t feel like it’s worth the risk of having another concussion.”

Despite admitting that fear plays a role while competing, Sakakibara, who is a two-time BMX World Cup winner, said the “feeling of unfinished business” persuaded her to carry on competing and that she “wouldn’t change anything” about her career.

“Everything I did led me to this point,” she added.

‘All I had to do was just come along for a ride’

Born in Australia in August 1999 to a Japanese mother and a British father, Sakakibara moved to Japan as a child.

She recalled riding bikes with her brother, as cycling on pump tracks — single-line trails — became part of their