The day after BMX star Caroline Buchanan missed Tokyo Olympic selection, she got recruited for a prestigious mountain bike event in Germany. The Aussie became the first ever woman to produce a front flip in competition. In an alternate reality I would have been recovering and reflecting on a third Olympics in green and gold instead of sitting on a mountain bike in a German quarry, telling myself to smile before attempting something no woman had ever achieved. I looked down at the dirt jump, said ‘just gotta send it,’ and did exactly that. As I came around I saw sky, and the quarry and then I thought ‘come on, come on!’. And when my wheels touched down I’d become the first female MTB rider in history to land a front flip in competition. It was the first time I’d ever attempted the trick on dirt, but the process to get to that ‘send it’ moment was obviously calculated, with a few hurdles to overcome. I have my positive affirmations...
