By On a special episode (first released on July 24, 2024) of The Excerpt podcast: Reaching speeds of nearly 40 miles per hour, BMX racers at the 2024 Paris Olympics will have more than just a medal on the line. This sport can also be deadly. A relatively new competition in the Olympics, BMX racing was added to the 2008 Beijing games as part of a strategy to attract a younger audience. And based on the recent addition of other action sports to the games such as climbing, skateboarding and surfing, that strategy is working. Cam Wood is a 22-year-old racer from Montana who is currently America’s top hopeful. He joins The Excerpt to talk about his journey and what’s at stake in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Hit play on the player below to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript beneath it. This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text.
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Dana Taylor:
Hello and welcome to The Excerpt. I’m Dana Taylor. Today is Wednesday, July 24th, and this is a special episode of The Excerpt Reaching speeds of nearly 40 miles per hour, BMX racers at the 2024 Paris Olympics will have more than just a medal on the line. The sport can be deadly. A relatively new competition in the Olympics, BMX racing was added to the 2008 Beijing games as part of a strategy to attract a younger audience. And based on the recent edition of other action sports to the games, such as climbing, skateboarding and surfing, that strategy is working. To talk about his journey and what’s at stake in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, we’re joined now by Cam Wood, a 22-year-old racer from Montana, who is currently America’s top hopeful. Cam, thanks for joining me on the excerpt.
Cam Wood:
Thank you guys for having me. I appreciate it.
Dana Taylor:
You’re a two-time World Cup champion and currently the Olympics points leader for the US men’s team. What are the stakes for you personally at the games in Paris this summer?
Cam Wood:
Yeah, this has obviously been a dream of mine for a really long time. Growing up in a small town in Montana, I actually vividly remember watching BMX racing’s debut in the Olympics when I was seven years old and two Americans actually went home with medals from that race and from that point on, it’s been a dream that stuck with me. And obviously as a BMX racer, this is the pinnacle of our sport. And all sport in general, right? This is the Olympics, so just an incredible opportunity that’s nearing and I’m just unbelievably excited for it.
Dana Taylor:
You mentioned growing up in Montana and I know that you played many different sports including basketball, football, skiing, golf and track and field, what was it about BMX racing that made you decide that this was what you wanted to pursue?
Cam Wood:
Yeah, I loved every facet of competition. I just fell in love with it. And I think BMX racing was just so head to head and the adrenaline rush of just the anticipation of the gait dropping and having only 30, 35 seconds to cross the finish line first and just felt like I was very competitive and it was kind of the best way for me to express myself as a kid. I loved team sports, but feeling a little bit more weight on my shoulders, just taking the losses, they kind of hurt a little bit more and winning felt a little bit better when it’s an individual sport. So yeah, just for whatever reason, felt like I could express myself and my personality meshed really well with BMX racing. And just continue to grow within the sport and I love it more every time I get on my bike.
Dana Taylor:
Cam, your inspirational journey to Paris really began six years ago with your family’s relocation to Phoenix. Tell me about how that decision came about and what it meant for your racing aspirations.
Cam Wood:
Yeah, when I look back on my whole journey, I think that was such a critical moment in my life. You grow up in Montana, it’s just such a unique BMX environment and it’s unheard of in our sport. Everyone’s from warmer weather climates and having that story of being from somewhere where we had one rideable track in the entire state, it’s just a really rare background. And my family sacrificed so much. They’ve been my biggest support system my whole racing career. Them moving across the country, largely in part for BMX, I felt that weight on my shoulders definitely, but I feel like I channeled it in a really positive way. And they’ve been my number one supporters from the very beginning and I definitely wouldn’t be in this position without their support.
Dana Taylor:
BMX racing as a sport was once dominated by American athletes, but recent years have shown that Europeans in particular are becoming more competitive. Why do you think that is? Is under-investment by the US a factor here?
Cam Wood:
We were in a transition period for a little bit. We had very successful athletes that were kind of nearing the end of their career. You’re lucky in BMX racing if you get 10 years. And I think that transition kind of happened a few years ago, but I think right now we’re in a really good place. And I think myself, along with Cam Larson, our other male Olympian, I think we’ve both proven that we can compete at this level and we can win races. And yeah, we’re kind of going in there with a little chip on our shoulder and everyone feels really good about where we’re at.
Dana Taylor:
Okay. Let’s talk more about your competition in Paris. Which racers and teams do you think will be your biggest competitors? Who are you watching?
Cam Wood:
Yeah. This is the Olympics, right? It’s the highest level of sport. Everyone is going to be at their best and so I think you can’t take anyone lightly. You can’t take any team lightly. It’s going to be a new experience. Obviously, this is my first Olympic Games, but we race all of these people all the time, multiple times a year. So there’s going to be some familiarity there. And yeah, I’m just looking forward to the challenge. And like I said, this is the highest level of competition, it’s going to be hard. I think it’s best to expect it to be hard and show up and just compete to the best of my ability.
Dana Taylor:
I want to broaden the conversation now to talk about BMX racing more generally. It’s a sport that’s largely categorized as an extreme sport with greater physical demand in many ways and also big risks. Connor Fields suffered a head trauma that forced him out of the competition at the 2021 games in Tokyo. What will you be doing to stay safe? What are you most concerned about?
Cam Wood:
Yeah. Naturally there’s a lot of risk. You get on top of a big starting hill, you’re going 35, 40 miles an hour, you’re bar to bar with seven other people, which are uncontrolled variables. There’s a lot that you can’t prepare for. You have to kind of trust your instincts and trust the years and years and years of racing and having to adapt to new situations. So naturally there is risk, but I would say the more you do it, the more comfortable you get with it, and as soon as you cross the finish line, you want to do it all over again. So I think it’s something we’re all comfortable with at this level and it’s what makes our sport so unique. It’s what makes it so fun to watch. And yeah, I’m looking forward to everyone seeing the action that goes down in a few weeks.
Dana Taylor:
As I mentioned at the top, BMX racing is one of several extreme sports the International Olympic Committee has added to the summer games to attract a younger audience. Is extreme risk part of the attraction for that audience? And is it part of what attracted you to the sport?
Cam Wood:
I think it is. Yeah, I think it is. It’s something when you see it in person or when you get on a starting hill and you realize this starting hill is three stories high and we’re going 40 miles an hour in less than three seconds, I think people are able, obviously they haven’t been in that situation, but they can relate to what that speed is like and they can kind of put their selves in our shoes. And yeah, it’s definitely an action sport and it’s a contact sport. It’s physical. Really in BMX, there’s not many rules as soon as that gate drops. So it’s kind of fair game and I think it naturally is interesting for people on the outside looking at it.
Dana Taylor:
Well, Cam, you had a serious crash in May of last year that took you out of competition for five months. Did that injury make you reevaluate your racing career at all?
Cam Wood:
It was very challenging for me. That was definitely the biggest hurdle I’ve faced in my professional career. I’d been really fortunate up until that point in terms of injury. I felt bulletproof at times, young in my career. You take some crashes, that’s always part of what we do, but I was able to get up for most all of them and kind of continue on and this one had me sidelined for five, six months. And yeah, it was just really hard. For a period of time, you’re in this mindset of every day having these goals and feeling like you’re able to chase something and it gives you purpose in what you do and sometimes an injury, for whatever reason, you just feel stuck.
It’s things take time and having to go through that and that was the ultimate lesson on patience in my career. It’s hard to see it in that moment, but I think it benefited me a lot as an athlete and as a person as well. And I think it’s beautiful in a way. Our Olympic criteria started right after I had that injury, so it made my journey here really hard. And I think now, when it’s all said and done, you reflect on that journey more than anything.
Dana Taylor:
As you know, three of the favorites for the US Women’s Gymnastics team were forced to drop out either just before or during the trials this year, are Olympic competitions getting to the point where injury is almost inevitable and can or should sports leaders do anything to stem the tide of injuries?
Cam Wood:
There’s risk in what we do, being an athlete in any discipline, it’s a complete sacrifice and we put our bodies on the line every time we choose to go out and get on the BMX track. And like I said, there’s risk in every sport. So I think it’s part of it and I think as athletes, learning how to manage those situations, learning how to manage those thoughts and those fears, that’s what makes the good moments so rewarding. So without having to face that adversity and face those fears, the successes, they wouldn’t feel as good as they do.
Dana Taylor:
As the top contender on the American team, you are no doubt and inspiration for the next generation of BMX racers. What’s your advice to those athletes who hope to emulate your success?
Cam Wood:
I’ve always had a belief in myself. And I think coming from a small town, having the background that I do, I can’t emphasize that enough. Not being around A BMX environment and not feeling like I was successful really until late in my teenage years, I lost so much as a kid. And I feel like people, I can’t emphasize that enough, I lost over and over and over. And I didn’t learn how to win until I kept losing, basically. So just having that resilience, taking obstacles head on, facing challenges and just continuing to show up every day. Sometimes things go your way, sometimes they don’t. But I feel like I’ve always had that steady belief in myself and it drives everything for me. It’s what gets me out of bed in the morning and I absolutely love what I get to do. I feel blessed and grateful and I couldn’t imagine living my life any other way.
Dana Taylor:
And then finally, you’re heading to Paris, other than competing in the Olympics, what are you most looking forward to?
Cam Wood:
There’s a lot of things. My family, a lot of my family and a lot of people really close to me are going to be there, so I’m really excited to share that moment with them. Obviously, it takes a team to get to this point and just going to be a special moment for everyone there, everyone that’s been a part of the journey and I can’t wait to share that moment with them. And obviously, anytime you get a throw on a USA jersey and wear the red, white and blue, it’s just a complete privilege and honor, something I’ve always dreamed about and to do it at my first Olympic Games, at the highest level of sport, it’s going to be unforgettable, something I remember for the rest of my life. So yeah, I just couldn’t be more excited.
Dana Taylor:
We will continue watching and following your journey of course. Thanks so much for being on The Excerpt, Cam.
Cam Wood:
Thank you guys for having me. I appreciate it.
Dana Taylor:
Thanks to our senior producer, Shannon Rae Green, for production assistance. Our executive producer is Laura Beatty. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending a note to podcasts@usatoday.com. Thanks for listening, I’m Dana Taylor. Taylor Wilson will back tomorrow morning with another episode of The Excerpt.
