Tokyo 2020 hopeful Kai Sakakibara suffers critical injury in fall at Bathurst
The horror moment Gold Coast-born BMX hopeful Kai Sakakibara was left critically injured after crashing at Bathurst has been caught on camera. It shows his head hitting the ground heavily as he came off his bike. WARNING: CONFRONTING FOOTAGE
QLD News
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GOLD Coast Olympic BMX hopeful Kai Sakakibara remains in a stable condition after he suffered critical head injuries after a crash on Saturday morning.
The 23-year-old, who was born on the Gold Coast, was flown to Canberra Hospital and BMX Australia have reported that he continues to be in a critical but stable condition.
Speedy siblings get a helping hand on the track
The champion rider crashed at the third round of the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup at Bathurst BMX Club in NSW after clipping another rider’s wheel on the second corner of the track.
Footage from the race shows the horror moment unfold with Sakakibara’s head hitting the ground heavily after coming off his bike.
He lay stricken and unmoving on the ground as medical crews worked on him.
“BMXA will provide support to Kai and his family,” a statement said.
The multiple national champion was racing alongside his sister Saya at the event in the hunt for a spot at this year’s Tokyo Olympics.
It is believed that Sakakibara knew the Bathurst track well and has been attending meetings there for the last few years.
Sakakibara was born on the Gold Coast and started racing BMX at the age of four before his family moved to Tokyo in 2000.
He won the Japanese national championships in 2004, 2005 and 2006 and finished sixth in the world championships.
The family moved back to Australia in 2007 and he continued racing out of Southlake Illawarra BMX Club on his way to winning more national and state titles.
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