BMX beast Holyee Jackson to represent Australia at the BMX World Championships
She can ride with the best of them and now this Ipswich high school student will head to France as part of her journey to Olympic glory.
Ipswich
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Meet the freakishly talented BMX sensation from Ipswich who is destined for a 2032 Brisbane Olympics showcase.
BMX rider Holyee Jackson, 13, is preparing to compete at the World Championships in France this July, having won her first Queensland title in Townsville and placing ninth when riding at her first World Titles in the USA at only eight years of age.
Since first getting on the track at three, her mum Angela said she has always been one to watch. Now the Year 8 student says she is ready to win the World Titles.
“I’m keen to show what I can do. I want to win Worlds or get a good position which would be in the top eight. I am keen for the experience,” Holyee said.
When asked about how she was going to get to the Olympics, Holyee said train hard and work harder.
“The Olympics is the ultimate goal.”
She said: “ I love it (BMX riding) more than life really. It’s hard to explain. It allows me to travel the world. See the best of experiences. It’s the best feeling to get on the bike and compete with other riders.”
Holyee is proud of her indigenous background, her bike specialised so that wherever she travels she has her heritage with her.
Her BMX’s spoke nipples are yellow and red to represent her aboriginal heritage.
Before a big event Holyee says she is adamant her gloves and handle-grips stay the same, are well worn in and by no means, can they be new ones.
However, there have been a few big names who have suffered life-changing injuries from the concrete like track surface in BMX riding.
Olympic silver medallist Sam Willoughby is now in a wheelchair from a career-ending injury he suffered in a training accident overseas.
Angela said that for a mother, seeing her daughter compete in the sport does have its hair-raising moments.
“It does get pretty dangerous. You do have those moments when you are like oh crap,” she said.
“Especially when you have Holyee who challenges herself every time she’s on the track.
“She wants to jump everything, and try to advance herself any chance she gets. You do get a bit worried.
“But at the end of the day it’s what she loves to do. She’s just different. She’s got that absolute love for it. I don’t think she’ll ever lose it.”
Angela isn’t Holyee’s only supporter. Angel in disguise Michael Devlin, an Irish real estate agent, has been Holyee’s sponsor since she was eight.
When chasing sponsors for Holyee’s first World Title in America, Angela recalls Michael Devlin ringing one night out of the blue having heard about Holyee’s story and saying he wanted to sponsor her.
He said he didn’t expect anything, he just wanted to see Holyee reach her goals.
Angela said he rang Holyee when he found out she was selected on the Australian Worlds team, and said “I’m paying for your whole trip to France. You are going.”
Holyee won the dual QLD title on both her bikes in Ipswich last September, and won the dual Australian Title on both her bikes in Nerang last December.
“She prefers to race the boys. She’s always racing up with the boys and giving them a run for their money,” Angela said.
“She’s doing well racing them. They love having her. She’s one of the boys they say.
“She needs that push. Holyee has advanced a lot with her age class so she always races boys now to give her that extra edge.”
Now, the young gun is chasing that World Title.
“We just want her to go over there and lap up the experience. She’s going to France. That’s huge,” Angela said.
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