CQ-born BMX rider’s historic Olympic selection

After suffering a number of injuries and a brief loss of hope, a Gladstone athlete will now make history as one of the first Aussie BMX riders to participate in this Olympic event.

Gladstone-born Natalya Diehm has officially made the Tokyo Olympics. PIC: Instagram

As the Tokyo Olympics draws nearer, a Central Queensland community more than 67,000km away from the Japanese capital couldn’t be prouder of one of their local girls making history in her sport.

Natalya Diehm, 23, was born in Gladstone, raised at Boyne Island and first rode her BMX at seven years old around the region’s skate parks.

On March 14 it was reported that Diehm had suffered a series of injuries, including four to her knee, and been involved in a serious car crash, which made her doubt whether to continue riding.

But a call from BMX world champion Caroline Buchanan convinced her to give it one more go.

Diehm has this week been selected as one of the first Australian BMX freestylers to represent Australia in the Tokyo Olympics and her hometown of Gladstone couldn’t be more proud.

Her aunty Dani Saunders shared her message of support on social media.

“Too proud a moment not to share,” Ms Saunders wrote.

“On behalf of my family, I would like to announce the exciting news with all of the Gladstone region in which my niece has officially been selected to represent Australia in the 2020/21 Tokyo Olympics.

“Natalya, her immediate family and extended family couldn’t be more proud of everything she has already achieved and what she is yet to achieve as the strong, independent young woman she is, and we are all so happy to share this news with you, as Natalya holds her home town very close to her heart.”

Diehm also shared a message of excitement on her Instagram profile.

“My emotions are all over the place and even though this is something that I have strived for since it was announced, I can’t believe this is actually real,” she wrote.
“Through all the hard times, injuries and calling it quits after my fourth knee surgery my family have always stuck by me and supported my decisions.

“The sacrifices my entire family has had to make for me just to get here is incredible and without them I would’ve be fulfilling my dream.

“This something I want to do my absolute best at and not just for myself but for everyone who has played a part in my BMX journey.

“If this wasn’t special enough.... it is also BMX Freestyle’s debut in the Olympic Games. Being one of the very first riders to be selected absolutely blows my mind.”

And after seeing a wave of support and messages come through, she made an emotional video saying the Olympics was a ‘dream come true.’

“As a kid, being eight years old, you know, the Olympics was only something that you dreamt of. You just wanted to ride with your friends and hopefully, get paid for doing it,” Diehm said.

“Yesterday was so overwhelming, that I haven’t even had a chance to cry over it.

Mayor Matt Burnett also shared his encouragement for Diehm on Facebook.

“The entire Gladstone Region is behind you,” Cr Burnett said.

“Go get em.”

She will be joining the Olympics alongside the Gold Coast’s Logan Martin.