BMX
The Olympics was an incredible time for the GB BMX team and we are so excited to share our recent interview with Ross Cullen who was the Male Reserve Athlete in Tokyo who trained with the medalists and made sure they were ready to compete with the best in the world!
1. Hi Ross, how did it feel to arrive in Japan for the Olympics?
Arriving in Japan was incredible. I felt so welcome going into Japan and it suddenly started to sink in what an incredible opportunity the next few weeks was going to be!
2. What was the BMX track like?
The BMX Track in Japan was great. It was a little longer than what we are used to but it was still a great racing track. The practice sessions were amazing to do with all the competing athletes.
3. The competition was fierce, what was your role?
I went out to Tokyo as the Male Reserve Athlete. My role was to complete the practice sessions as if I was going to be competing in case anything happened to Kye (Whyte) but also to be there for someone for Kye to train with. The main reason I was out there was for the general experience moving onto Paris 2024. As soon as race day came around and Kye and Beth (Shriever) were competing, I was basically staff for the team. Helping with the filming to running spare bikes to the finish line after their laps, just generally being a helping hand!
4. Sounds like you did a great job with Beth Shriever winning Gold and Kye Whyte Siver!
It was amazing to watch my team mates succeed and race brilliantly. I am so proud and happy for them, it was an amazing thing to be a part of.
5. Have you heard of the sport getting lots more attention since the Olympics?
Yes, since the end of the Olympics there has been a lot more recognition of BMX in the UK and I hope it continues to grow. Its great seeing the sport finally getting some well deserved recognition.
6. How did you go about preparing for the heat?
In preparation for the Tokyo heat, we spent a lot time in a heat tent after training sessions to try and get used to the heat and the humidity our body’s would be facing out there at the event. It seemed to work really well.
7. Presumably the training has already started to qualify for Paris 2024?
After some well deserved time off the team should be back to training as normal by mid-October / November time. Nation ranking / qualification for Paris starts this time next year so it will come round fast! Time to get some hard work in and try to get more GB riders on the start line in Paris.
I have been back in training for 2 weeks now for an event I’m attending in Holland this weekend (25th/26th of September) which should be good fun.
8. Is an Olympic medal now your goal?
Yes, an Olympic medal has always been a goal of mine since being a child starting the sport, even more so now seeing my teammates get them! I can’t wait for the next 3 years up to Paris and hopefully getting on the start gate myself.
A huge thank you to Ross for this interview and photos. We can’t wait to watch your progress to Paris 2024. Thank you to British Cycling for the videos.
