Rotorua's young BMX rider Megan Williams stamping name on world BMX stage

Megan Williams racing in the World Championships in Nantes, France. Photo / Nico Van Dartel

It has already been a whirlwind year for young Rotorua BMX rider Megan Williams, who has been travelling and starting to stamp her name on the world BMX stage.

The 18-year-old John Paul College student travelled to Brisbane in April to compete at the Oceania Championships, where she came second in the junior elite women category and third woman overall.

In May she went to Europe where she raced two BMX World Cup rounds, first in Scotland and then in the Netherlands.

She says there were two rounds in each location - in Scotland she finished ninth and 10th, and in the Netherlands she placed 15th and 18th in the under-23 category.

Her BMX travels then took her to France at the end of July to compete in the World Championships. In France she placed eighth in the junior elite women, despite a crash meaning she was classified a DNF (did not finish) in the final.

Megan says: "It was my first year racing as an elite and it was quite a big step up from the amateur to the elite track."

She says she enjoyed the experience and she learnt from seeing top performers how important it is to have the right people around you - being surrounded by strong and positive people.

Megan Williams racing in the World Cup Round 4 in Papendal, The Netherlands. Photo / Nico Van Dartel

Megan is finishing her 10th year doing BMX and says she got into the sport through a childhood friend.

One of her best mates in primary school was doing BMX and suggested she go along to have a look.

"I was instantly hooked, wanting to know where could I get a bike and a helmet."

When asked what it is she enjoys about BMX riding, she says it is how hard you have to work for the teeniest improvements, the skills you need to have, and the flow of the sport and the bike.

"I love the whole thing. It's so fun and when I'm riding I can't scrape the smile off my face."

At the moment she is injured from her crash in France, but normally she would be training two times a day, six days a week. It is a balancing act juggling training with school and a casual job, she says.

It is currently the off-season, but looking ahead Megan is hanging out for the New Zealand season that starts in October.

"There will be lots of training and saving lots of money to chase all the Europe rounds and World Cup circuits. Next year I want to try to make the Olympics qualifications for 2024."

She says her short-term goal is to get to the Olympics, and then it will be to create a sustainable career in the sport.

Megan says a massive thank you to the Rotorua BMX Club and people who have supported her along the way.