10 months on: BMX world champ Sam Willoughby talks about the fight of his life and his goal to walk on his wedding day
HOMEGROWN BMX Olympian Sam Willoughby has been through hell since he broke his neck in a training crash — but he’s determined to walk for his wedding to fiancee Alise Post this year.
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HOMEGROWN BMX Olympian Sam Willoughby has been through hell since he broke his neck in a training crash — but he’s determined to walk for his wedding to fiancee Alise Post this year.
Willoughby, who is slowly learning to walk again after the crash in September last year, is still deeply connected with the BMX scene — only now it’s online.
The BMX star, who grew up in Trott Park, has been running Cafe Willoughby from his home in California with fellow BMX rider Tyler Brown — a weekly YouTube segment focusing on topics of interest to riders.
“We have different riders on and talk about whatever’s going on,” he says.
“It’s a nice little outlet.”
The 25-year-old, who broke his neck in the crash, is also keeping involved with the sport as he helps fiancee Alise Post and Australian rider Lauren Reynolds with their training.
Both are preparing for the UCI BMX World Championships in South Carolina later this month.
He watches them train and passes on tips, and says coaching is something he is interested in doing more of in future.
“I do enjoy doing it and it’s something I put a lot of time into,” he says.
Willoughby trained with both The Cove and Happy Valley BMX clubs as a youngster, before moving to the US to further his career.
He has twice been BMX World Champion and was just 20 when he won his first title in 2012.
He also took home an Olympic silver medal in 2012.
Willoughby came sixth at the Rio Olympics last year.
A month later he was seriously injured in the crash in San Diego, and left without feeling from the chest down.
He now spends about four hours a day on his rehabilitation work, six days a week.
“It’s broken up into different areas that we work on, like standing, core stability or movements,” he says.
“I’m making leaps in the right direction.
“I’m feeling better with standing and things like that now. I need some assistance to get up, but once I’m up I’ve stood for about three minutes by myself.”
His goal is to walk by his wedding day on New Year’s Eve.
“The only thing I can do is to work at it each day, but either way it will be a good day,” Willoughby says.
Such is Willoughby’s impact in the south that a new international standard BMX track will be named after him.
BMX SA, Marion and Onkaparinga councils, along with the State Government, are working on plans for the track.
It will provide a new home for Happy Valley and The Cove clubs. Work is expected to begin soon, and Willoughby says he hopes to return to Adelaide with Alise when the new track is opened.
