By Justin Schwarze
Over the Christmas period, the News’ sports team will be re-sharing some of the most popular stories from over the course of 2024.
Thank you for supporting our newspapers over the course of the year. We hope you enjoy the selection and have a wonderful holiday period, however you choose to celebrate.
11-year-old Casey BMX rider Leo Echeverria made history after winning the 2024 AusCycling BMX National Championships in Perth earlier this month.
The Championships, which took place from 7-13 October, consisted of over 1500 of the best BMX riders from around the country.
After three previous attempts at the national title, in Queensland in 2021, Tasmania in 2022 and Shepparton in 2023, Echeverria finally got his taste of glory.
“I was like ‘finally, I finally won one,’” Echeverria said.
While he finished in first, it was a difficult and challenging build-up to the final.
“Once we normally get to six weeks out, we’ve got really high intensity training, so it’s really tough training.” Echeverria recalled.
There were multiple forms of preparation he undertook for the competition, including weights, sprints, and general fitness.
After winning the semi-final, Echeverria felt confident in his ability to take home top spot.
“Once I won it I thought ‘this is going to be close, but I reckon I’m going to win it,’” he said.
“I was a tiny bit nervous.
“I did find that my start wasn’t the best – I would always have to make up time in the track.”
Not only did he make up time on the track, he became the first rider from the Casey BMX club to win a national championship.
He was also just one of five Victorians to win a national title in 2024.
He dedicated his win to his pace, which is his self-proclaimed biggest strength.
“It feels amazing, it’s really cool and everyone’s always congratulating me,” he said.
“I gain a lot of speed on the track, so that’s how I catch up.”
Echeverria competes in the 11 Boys category, where he is now ranked 1A in Australia.
The 11 Boys is renowned for being a fierce competition in Australia, with a large number of competitors and riders.
After being crowned Australian champion, Echeverria now has his eyes set on taking his talent to the global stage.
The win qualified him for the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) World Championship in Denmark next year, where he will compete against the best cyclists in the world for his age.
“I can’t wait to (go) overseas and (see) another country,” he exclaimed.
“I feel confident and I reckon I have a good chance at worlds.”
