Motocross bike, the sport that revolutionized cycling – El Sol de México

It was the late ’60s, and in Southern California, motorcycle racing was having the interest of young and old alike. The children, unable to control the power of the motorbikes, took advantage of the rush of their imaginations to imitate the dangerous movements of their bikes. Those were the first steps for BMX, a sport that over the years has become a tradition for all those who enjoy speed sickness.

After a decade where BMX (the name that has its origin in the acronym motocross bike) In the southern United States, in April 1981, the International BMX Federation was founded, a work that served as a precursor to the first World Championships, which was held in 1982.

Very soon those races on uneven terrain tracks, covering 400 meters in about 40 seconds, attracted the attention of a good number of the public, who did not lose from the edges of the tracks the details of the frantic pursuit of competitors, among which even some contact was allowed, Which eventually leads to amazing dips.

Their competition stood out in every country, and the majority were characterized by local frankness, where the cyclists, in addition to being competitors, united by the power of the movement. In Mexico, of course, this was no exception. According to an article published by center sun, there is evidence that by bikeAs it was initially known, it has already been practiced in Aguascalientes since 1971.

Prosperity in subsequent years fostered international competitions. However, it wasn’t until the new century, at the 2008 Beijing Games, when BMX became an Olympic demonstration sport, a situation that somehow encouraged the participation of new talent.

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Currently there are two ways, profession (a race) and free (free), where the contestants have two rounds of 60 seconds each to perform their moves. Depending on the difficulty these points are added. In addition to the fact that this method with urban undertones is not new, the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 represented their first foray into the official program.

Mexico is looking for its first matches

In addition to the fact that talented young people often appear, under the structure of the Mexican Cycling Federation (Femeci), Mexico was not able to have BMX representatives in the Olympic Games. The highest achievements correspond to the Central American and Caribbean Games, where Stephanie Barragán won the bronze medal at Mayagüez 2010, the same as Christopher Meirelles, in Veracruz 2014. For the 2018 Barranquilla Games, Dayana Hernandez held the silver medal. The move to success at the Pan American Games and the Olympic Games is still a long way off. In the freestyle mode, Kevin Peraza won the gold at the 2021 X Games, however, he did not have time to fight for a ticket to Tokyo 2020.

In addition to its obvious Olympic connotations, BMX also lives on in the streets, adventurous for those who try it. In August 2020, at Deportivo San Lorenzo Tezonco in Iztapalapa, the only public BMX track with professional measurements opened in Mexico City. There, the capital’s youth have the opportunity to develop their talents, as well as watch national competitions.

Throughout the area that includes CdMx, there are other parks that promote the practice of the sport, such as the BMX Glaxo Public Trail, located in Canal de Miramontes, or the Bike of the Bicentennial Park, in addition to providing facilities and equipment rentals, and offering expert training. In neighboring cities such as Toluca or Puebla, it is also possible to find trails to practice this sport.

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The first Olympic podium

BMX racing made its debut at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, both in sprints and freestyle swimming. The United Kingdom dominated the competition, winning two golds in the women’s class, while in the men’s class it won a silver in the sprints and a bronze in the freestyle.

Amber Cross

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