On Tuesday, USA Cycling announced the five athletes that have been selected for the Paris 2024 Olympics in BMX Racing. After two years of qualifying competition, it came down to the final few races in May of 2024 to determine the points for individual nominations and team quotas.
The 2024 UCI BMX Racing World Championships in Rock Hill, S.C., USA was one of the final events for athletes to put their best foot forward in the Olympic qualification process. Alise Willoughby (Saint Cloud, Minn.; Team Toyota/ Daylight Cycle Co.) and Daleny Vaughn (Tucson, Ariz.; Biolab Sciences/DK Bicycles) earned their automatic nominations at the World Championships by placing in the top three: Willoughby won gold, and Vaughn took bronze. When the points finalized at the beginning of June for Olympic spots, the U.S. managed to secure quota positions for three women and two men for the Games.
Willoughby will be returning to her fourth Olympic Games at 33-years-old. She proved that age is just a number and that she is at the peak of her sport by winning her third World Title just last month. At Rio 2016, Willoughby became the first U.S. woman to ever win an Olympic silver medal in BMX Racing. She pursued gold at Tokyo 2020, but the day did not unfold as she had hoped. This year, she is returning to the Olympics on the hunt for a medal in Paris as the 2024 World Champion.
This will be the first Olympics for 23-year-old Vaughn, and she has a bright future ahead of her. In 2022, she won the Elite Women’s National Title, representing the stars-and-stripes sleeve for the year, and has continued to prove herself as one of the fastest BMX racers in America.
2022 UCI BMX Racing World Champion Felicia Stancil (Lake Villa, Ill.; Factory SSquared/Answer) will return to the Olympic Games for a second time. Her first Olympics in Tokyo was bittersweet, as she rode to a fourth-place finish. She concluded the 2024 World Cup series finishing seventh in the overall standings, riding in several main events and earning her spot on the Paris Olympic Team.
It has not been an easy journey for 22-year-old Cameron Wood (Bozeman, Mont.; Mongoose/USA BMX Foundation), but his resiliency earned him a spot on the Paris 2024 Olympic Team. Wood won his first USA BMX race at 19-years-old in his first full season racing in the pro category, landed on several USA BMX podiums, and made the Elite World Championships final, finishing eighth in the world. He has been on the rise ever since but has suffered from several injuries along the way. After re-injuring his shoulder earlier this year, he came back determined to earn his spot on the Paris 2024 Olympic Team and is eager to achieve a good result this summer.
2023 Pan American Games Gold Medallist Kamren Larsen (Bakersfield, Calif.; Factory SSquared/Answer) will make his Olympic debut this summer. The 2024 U.S. National Champion finished fourth this year in the UCI BMX Racing World Cup overall standings, landing on his first World Cup podium in Tulsa earlier this year.
The Paris 2024 Olympic BMX Racing events begin on August 1 with three rounds of Quarterfinals and a Last Chance Qualifier Race. Racing concludes the next day, August 2, with three rounds of Semi-Finals, and one final lap to crown Olympic champions in the main event. Watch all the cycling events live on Peacock.
Women:
Alise Willoughby (Saint Cloud, Minn.; Team Toyota/ Daylight Cycle Co.)
Daleny Vaughn (Tucson, Ariz.; Biolab Sciences/ DK Bicycles)
Felicia Stancil (Lake Villa, Ill.; Factory SSquared/Answer)
Men:
Cameron Wood (Bozeman, Mont.; Mongoose/USA BMX Foundation)
Kamren Larsen (Bakersfield, Calif.; Factory SSquared/Answer)
Alise Willoughby (Saint Cloud, Minn.; Team Toyota/ Daylight Cycle Co.):
“Little 6-year-old me that started racing BMX back in Minnesota over 27 years ago could’ve never imagined where this two-wheeled journey would take me. Women’s BMX wasn’t an Olympic discipline or even a professional career option back then, so to have been a part of the sport’s growth while finding the success I have over the years, and now be named to my fourth Olympic team representing Team USA, is truly humbling and such an honor. Representing my country on the sporting world’s biggest stage is an incredible feeling and I look forward to another opportunity to do that in Paris this summer.”
Daleny Vaughn (Tucson, Ariz.; Biolab Sciences/ DK Bicycles):
“Being selected to the Olympic Games is an unexplainable feeling, it’s something I have wanted since I was a kid, and the 2024 games was always the goal. The day I made the team will be a feeling I will never forget and something I will cherish forever. The preparation for this started so long ago and it feels so good for the hard work to pay off. It’s always an honor to represent the USA and not something I take lightly, I’m excited to represent them on the world’s biggest stage for sport.”
Felicia Stancil (Lake Villa, Ill.; Factory SSquared/Answer):
“It’s been a dream since BMX Racing debuted in the 2008 Olympics and I’m excited to be returning for my second Olympic Games. France is a beautiful country, and this Olympic Games means even more having my family in the stands.”
Cameron Wood (Bozeman, Mont.; Mongoose/USA BMX Foundation):
“Blessed, honored, and proud is understatement after being named to the 2024 US Olympic Team in Paris. There has been several challenges and a lot of adversity faced during the qualifying process. It feels rewarding to have faced those challenges head on, grow as an athlete and person, and ultimately earn my way in. It has been a dream of mine for a long time to represent my country in the Olympics and give it my all. I couldn’t be more thankful and appreciative for all of the people that have supported my journey and helped get me to this point. Let’s go.”
Kamren Larsen (Bakersfield, Calif.; Factory SSquared/Answer):
“This is truly a dream come true. Becoming a member of the Olympic Team has been a goal of mine for many years. I understand the honor and responsibility that comes with representing our country, and I can’t wait to gear up and compete in Paris.”
Jamie Staff – USA Cycling’s Director of BMX:
“The last few years have been a lot of work and investment; there has been heartache and celebration from all the athletes (and staff) during this qualifying period, and finally, for it all to come together, we can say, ‘Here we go!’ Working alongside all the athletes, including those we don't see on this list, has been an honor and a privilege. We will work together as a team as we focus on the last few weeks of training and, using the extensive experience my coaching team has, prepare these athletes the best we can for a great Olympic Games”
German Medina – USA Cycling’s BMX Racing Coach:
“I have been fortunate enough to attend every BMX Racing Olympic Games since Beijing 2008. Now, in Paris 2024, I never would have imagined I’d be representing the United States of America. It is an absolute honor, but it has also been a huge responsibility to support this great team since 2023. All the American athletes have worked incredibly hard to get to this point and will be prepared to give everything they have come race day. Our incredible staff and coaches have worked endless hours to support this team and should feel proud of every second they invested, as the U.S. is one of only three teams that will have five riders competing at the Games.”
For downloadable photos of athletes, click here.
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