Shepparton BMX Club’s Hayden Fletcher is now at the top of the leader board for the superclass series and third for the UCI (international sporting body) elite men’s series.
The in-form 20-year old has been notching together some impressive results of late and the best have occurred during the national series competition.
Fletcher won the superclass series’ opening round in Sydney last month.
On Saturday, he backed that up with a third in the second round and a runner-up finish behind Australia’s leading rider Kai Sakakibara at the second stage of the 2019 BMXA BAD BOY National Series at the Westside BMX Club in Perth.
The rising star also finished second behind Sakakibara in Sunday’s UCI elite men’s event, a race that carried extra significance as it was the Australian season’s first race that carried valuable Olympic qualification points.
As an official UCI endorsed event, the race offered riders the ability to win Olympic qualification points, that in turn can earn quota spots for Australia for the Olympics in Tokyo next year.
The more spots a nation qualifies, the greater chance riders have of winning their way to the Games. After his strong performance in Perth, Fletcher is eager for his next race and is enjoying the consistency he is producing on the track. “Yeah I’m really stoked with my performance at the moment and it’s a great feeling to be on top of the standings for the superclass,” Fletcher said. A dream for Fletcher’s 2019 is to find the top of the podium at the 2019 BMXA BAD BOY National Championships at his home club in Victoria on May 20-26. Due to his recent form and success on the national stage, that dream is becoming closer to a reality and as the event draws closer, what better place for him to achieve it than at his home club in front of his family and friends. “The national championships is something that I’ve never won before and it is something that I have wanted since I could remember. To wear the Australian sleeve (awarded to the winner) has been a dream of mine since I was a little kid and if I could do it in my home state, at my home club in front of my family and friends, would be a pretty surreal feeling,” Fletcher reflected. “It’s going to be the biggest race of the year for any Australian. It’s a great track and there is going to be some insane racing from not only the pro’s but from everyone else. It’s a great little place and will be a great time for all.”
I have managed to make all the podiums so far in the national series and it’s a really good feeling to have that consistency. To be putting in good results against the likes of Kai (Sakakibara) who is ranked eighth in the world is awesome.
“It’s definitely on my mind and after my recent results, I’ve proved to myself that I’m capable of doing it as long as I continue to put a lot of effort into my preparation and work.”
Alongside the action on the track, Fletcher is looking forward to being part of the event itself. Nationals is a fantastic opportunity to showcase Australian BMX racing and it will be on display through a wide range of ages (5-years of age through to 50+).