Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Dominique Daniels-The Number 1 BMX Biker In The USA

I watched the inaugural BMX cycling event in the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, but little did I know the baddest and number one ranked female BMX biker in the country is African American.

Her name is Dominique Daniels, and she is all that and three bags of chips.  The Grand Canyon University student from Chandler, AZ discovered the sport by accident on her 12th birthday.   

There was a bike track near her home that her father Tim noticed her eyeing when they passed it.  As a birthday surprise he bought Dominique the necessary equipment and a small starter motorcycle, but when they arrived at the track discovered it was for BMX bikes only.  Tim returned to the store, bought his daughter a Huffy bike and the rest is history.

It didn't take Dominique long to quickly rise up the junior ranks and acquire the nickname in BMX circles of 'The Dominator'.   She turned pro at age 15 and progressed to the elite level in the sport so quickly the US Olympic Committee briefly considered waiving the age 19 restriction so she could compete for a spot on the 2008 Beijing Olympic team.


She's the number one ranked Union Cycliste Internationale BMX biker in North America, has competed internationally and is the 2009-2010 back to back National Bicycle League Elite Women’s Champion.

 


Daniels is considered a favorite to make the US 2012 Olympic BMX team and I'm looking forward to watching her ride next summer in London from August 8-10 against the world's best riders with a gold medal on the line.