sayasakakibara

We're not crying, you're crying 😭 She crashed in Tokyo, battled concussions, nearly retired, and was frustrated at every World Championships. Through it all, she was with her brother on #KaiFight77. Today, @sayasakakibara became an Olympic champion: with @sakakibarakai in the stands, and her partner @romainmahieu100 winning bronze in the men's event. It's not a fairytale. It's real. And it's magnificent. #Paris2024 #AllezAUS 📸 @gettyimages

did it 🥇 🥹😭

This is such a dream come true. My documentary Saya Sakakibara: Ride to Redemption is now available to watch on Stan! And will be airing on Channel 9 at 9:30pm tonight ! (Tue 16th) This has been a project that has been on the cards for a while and feels quite surreal that it has now come to life. I have always wanted more representation of the sport of BMX racing in mainstream media, to reach a wider audience. So I feel incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to tell my story and for it to be available on a platform like Stan and Channel 9. The amazing filming and story telling by the cinematographers @mikecalvino and @collectivedigital is honestly out of this world. As well as the filming by @yuuki_shimizu___ and @jacksonlana. I thank my family as well for being part of it 🫶 I had so much fun filming this and working with these talented people. I wore my heart on my sleeve and I am very proud of this. I hope that you like it! ✨

Onigiri eater, Japan explorer… 🍙 With my @highsierra_ausnz Crossover Backpack Swipe to see happy foodie face! #HighSierra #bctsponsored

Olympic champions. World-class. Inspirational. Two extraordinary seasons, two extraordinary people. Congratulations to Grace Brown and Saya Sakakibara, winners of the 2024 AusCycling Cyclist of the Year. 🔗 Read the full story: link in bio.

There was just this one jump at Paris that I had a huge mental block with. In April, I was fearful to attempt it. And when I crashed on it, it made it harder for me to get over it. The thing is, I had the skills. I had the speed, and I had the physical capabilities to do this. But mentally, I kept holding myself back. I let my fear dictate how I feel towards the jump and in turn stumping my own progress. ‘The jump is hard for me’ ‘It’s easy for others but I can’t do it because …’ the self-sabotaging thoughts were endless. Until one day I decided enough was enough. I had enough of feeling incompetent. This wasn’t me! I CAN do hard stuff! I AM good enough! At the end of June, I simply reminded myself of the other hard things I’ve overcome. I showed myself through videos that I’m a great rider. And I skillful one! And decided to change the internal narrative to ‘it’s easy for me’ ‘I’m good at this kind of challenge’. Wow the change in body language while riding after this change in mindset was undeniable. Quite quickly I cleared the jump. Consistently. The problem was no longer. What you tell yourself is everything. At the Games, I made the jump look easy. It was easy. But I wanted to show you that it was a difficult road to get there. A road in which I am grateful for. One that I learnt so much from. Don’t compare yourself to other peoples ‘final product’. You might think that they are just on another level that’s unattainable to you. What you don’t see is that they are just the same as us, they just worked for it. So you can too.

Wow what a night it was at @marieclaireau Women of the Year Awards. I was just in awe of the phenomenal women in the room, who dedicate their lives to doing extraordinary things. I walked away feeling inspired. It was a great honour to be recognised for my achievement and to win the Champion of the Year category! This recognition not only means so much to me, but to the BMX and action sport community as well. So thank you so much 🙏 How special 🥹

When Saya Sakakibara crossed the finish line first at the Paris Olympics this year, it was more than just a victory, but a culmination of years of pain and perseverance that followed her brother's life-altering bike accident. For many, Sakakibara’s emotional journey to gold became the moment of the Games, after the BMX rider's tearful collapse into her brother’s arms after the medal ceremony. “I wouldn’t change a thing about my journey to get to where I am today,” she tells marie claire. “I am proud of myself for getting the job done when the pressure was its highest.” Read more in the link in bio. Photographer: @simon.eeles #mcwoty24 is presented by @swarovski, and supported by @volvocarau, @maxmara, @revlonanz, @drlewinns and @ghmummanz

Back to basics! It’s fun to throw on the flat pedals from time to time and focus on simple skills at the local track 😆 @htcomponents

This week was a bit on! Started with a short media trip to Melbourne, filming a cooking show, went on TV, radio and recorded a podcast! Then packed up life in Helensburgh for a big move to Gold Coast. But stopped on the way for a speaking opportunity! Got reunited with my Tank 🚗 🥹 #missedyou

Champion on and off the track, @sayasakakibara is more than an Olympic Gold Medalist—she’s an inspiring role model who encourages the next generation of riders to push their limits and grow every day. 🚴‍♀️ As a proud GWM Ambassador, her dedication to constant progress and resilience perfectly aligns with everything we stand for at GWM. We’re honored to support Saya, @auscyclingaus and the future of Australia’s BMX champions. Here’s to more wins, more inspiration, and more adventures in the unstoppable Tank 300!

Straight up Olympic icon behaviour, basically... Saya Sakakibara goes through every moment of her gold medal race! #CheapSeatsAU 🥇 Watch LIVE on 10 or 10Play!