Angus Thompson (far left) in action on the BMX track.
A local teenager who has been bike mad since he could walk is hoping to take on Australia and then the world at upcoming BMX competitions.
Angus Thompson is 16 and has been a keen rider since he got his first runner bike at age 2.
He got his start at BMX racing as a five-year-old and has been competing nationally since 2018.
Angus said there were many reasons he loved racing.
“I love the excitement of racing and the friendships I have made through the sport.
“I thrive on the challenge of improving my skills, plus the thrill of flying through the air at speed and the flow and rhythm of riding the track.”
It hasn’t all been smooth riding, between Covid-19-related disruptions and breaking his collarbone last year, but he’s now fighting fit and has his sights firmly set on heading overseas.
Thompson plans to head to an Australian competition in July that will be his first international experience.
The plan is then to go on to the UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow next year.
With a high price tag — likely to be more than $10,000 for the two competitions — the rider was hoping to hear from local businesses who might be keen to sponsor his entries.
He already has form in national competitions, with eight top-10 finishes in the past two years alone.
These included a first-place win in the 16-year-old boys category at the 2023 Auckland championships and a third-place finish in the same category at the Oceania championships this year.
Moving on to larger competitions felt like a natural next step, said Selina Thomspon, Angus’ mum.
“He’s just always loved being on a bike.
“This is his final year in age groups; after this year, he goes into junior elite.”
This season his skills have been taken to new heights, thanks to training in a structured programme under New Zealand Olympic BMX racer Kurt Pickard.
“That’s really lifted his performance.”
The Taupō-nui-a-Tia Year 12 student has also become something of a role model for younger athletes.
“He always looked up to the older riders and wanted to do what they could do.
“Now, he’s one of the older riders there and you can see all the little kids looking up to him.”
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