Though BMX is often thought of as a male dominated sport, one young cyclist is changing the face and name of it. Brooke Crain is an American cyclist who has been taking the sport by storm and showing that she is a staple in the competitive arena. The following explains more about this young, beautiful BMX rider who is showing females that they have a place in the extreme sports world.
Early Years
Not all athletes come to the field that they excel in with ease. Some have a much more tumultuous or unconventional path. This is the case with cyclist and BMX rider Brooke Crain. Brooke did not start riding naturally nor begin her journey without some prodding from her family. The only reason that Brooke rode her first bike was because her family encouraged it as part of a way for her to enjoy family trips to see her brother who was a BMX rider. At first, the relationship between Brooke and the sport was lukewarm but then she caught the bug and was instantly attracted to the idea of racing. It was here that her love affair with riding began.
Beginning Of A Career
Brooke told her family shortly after turning six that she wanted to race. She had seen her brother compete and though she did not instantaneously take to the bicycle, once she began to ride she found a unique passion and talent for the sport. The petite blonde powerhouse began her cycling career at the age of six in a highly competitive area of California. The talent pool was deep but Brooke continued to work and strive for excellence, which she achieved. The awards and her title successes really reached a new plateau in 2009 when she got her big breaks in many racing competitions. This was also the year after she decided to turn pro. The young girl had become a professional rider at the young age of fifteen, and her career really took off from there.
The Year Of Excellence
2009 was a great year for Brooke because she really got the notoriety and respect that comes with winning titles. In this year, at the young age of sixteen, Brooke won a national title plus two world titles. These great accomplishments caught the BMX world off guard and the young girl was on her way to stardom as the tides had begun to turn in her favor.
Awards
Brooke Crain trained hard and she reaped the rewards from her efforts. Though 2009 may have been the turning point, it was not the peak of her career. On the contrary, the young woman began to gain more and more notoriety for her efforts on the BMX racing field. The following are just some of the awards she has won and the placements that she has made in several different competitions.
- 2009 USA BMX Overall National Champion-16 year old girls Division
- 2009 Received 5th place award in the BMX Supercross World Cup in her category
- 2011 Received 9th place in the UCI BMX Supercross Olympic Testing Event
- 2012 Received 6th place at the UCI BMX World Cup #3 in Supercross
- 2012 Received 5th Place in the USA National Championship for Cycling BMX
Family Life and Education
Though Brooke was always fascinated by and excelled in the world of BMX racing, she also accomplished many other more personal goals. This BMX rider managed to successfully graduate from high school at Mt. Whitney, where upon she then began focusing on racing full time outside of school. The young girl, up until this time, lived with her parents who served as a foundation both in raising their daughter and in the field of her athletic career. They served as her coaches as well. Beyond that, her family also supported her career financially, even through the toughest of times. They sacrificed time and money so that their daughter could achieve her dreams. This feat does not go unnoticed by Brooke who gives praise and admiration to her parents for developing her career and fostering the young woman that she has become today.
Today
Today, Brooke is still a strong and growing BMX rider. She has had, and continues to have, many prominent sponsors supporting her career including Tangent, Reenen, Haro, KENDA, and Troy Lee Designs among others. Aside from entering races and competing at a premium and top level, Brooke Crain also enjoys many other activities and hobbies. Among these are several other sports including basketball, scooter racing, mountain biking, and even pole vaulting. She enjoys art and has a sweet tooth that is satiated with one of her favorite foods: ice cream.
Most recently, Brooke Crain was one of five team members competing in the BMX events at the London Olympics. This was an opportunity that arose after another rider had been injured and a replacement of talent was needed. The young girl was thrust to this position where she embraced it while paying deference to her fellow BMX rider who had suffered an unfortunate injury preventing her from entering the competition.
There is no indication that Brooke will give up riding any time soon. She continues to make her mark on the sport and continues to grow and excel in the sport. Only time will tell how her career fares, but if the past is any indication of the future, Brooke will have a long and fruitful career.
Photo by WBUR Boston’s NPR News Station
