Baylee Luttrell | Sport

I’m Baylee Luttrell, a nineteen year old BMX athlete from Hamilton. I started racing at four years old and have spent the last 16 years racing and travelling all over the world for BMX. Being an athlete in an extreme sport has taught me to appreciate life in the present and make the most of all that is in front of you, because you never know when it will be taken away. The last two years saw my most challenging times, suffering two near career ending injuries due to BMX. Negotiating the recovery process both physically and mentally brought out some of the values that years in BMX have taught me- being determined to not let fear get the better of me, being resilient to all the ups and downs that come with recovery, and being optimistic in times that feel like there is no hope. Over the last three years I have been fortunate enough to split my time between New Zealand and Europe, racing and training during the summer months. Being able to race all year round for the last few years has been vital in my development as an athlete.