Saya Sakakibara, Izaac Kennedy and Josh Jolly have all finished as silver medallists at the 2025 UCI BMX Racing World Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Sakakibara finished behind Bethany Shriever (Great Britain) in elite women, Kennedy behind Arthur Pilard (France) in elite men and Jolly behind Alexis Pieczanowsky (France) in under-23 men on a rainy and windy finals day.
Sakakibara's ARA Australian Cycling Team elite women teammates Teya Rufus and Lauren Reynolds joined her in the final and finished fifth and sixth respectively. Rufus doing so in her first year as elite, one year after winning the junior world title, and Reynolds doing so in her 19th appearance at a UCI BMX Racing World Championships.
Jesse Asmus narrowly missed joining Jolly on the U23 podium after finishing fourth, equalling his Glasgow 2023 result.
Charli Guy was the only ARA Australian Cycling Team junior to reach a final but her quest for rainbows was cut short in the first straight after being brought down in a three-rider crash she couldn't avoid. Guy eventually rolled across the finish in sixth.
Sakakibara said she was more happy to be on the podium than disappointed at falling short of the rainbow jersey.
"It's my fourth one as an elite and each time has been disappointing for me so my goal coming in was to focus on executing what I've got and only focussing on myself, and I really wanted to walk away feeling like I gave it everything and feeling satisfied," she said.
"So, I think I've ticked that goal off, I'm really happy with my performance.
"In the final I had lane one and I was feeling really good. I was really focussed on my process, had a great gate and Bethany was just faster and that's something that hurts but at the same time I have to really focus on the positives that I gave it my all and second is second best.
"The weather was definitely really challenging and more than anything it was more of a distraction and I just had to see it as it wasn't going to change my game plan and it wasn't going to change what I came here to do which was give it all.
"I was really happy about my semifinal, I didn't have the fastest quarterfinal, so I didn't have first lane choice but I was really proud of how I backed myself in lane two and did a really a clean lap and took the fastest lap into the final.
"I'm just happy that I executed what I know and walk away knowing I gave it my all."
In the elite men's final, Kennedy burst out of gate seven and emerged in second after turn one behind Pilard.
The Queenslander chased the Frenchman hard through the second, third and fourth straights but was unable to get close enough to capitalise on a potential passing opportunity for the world title.
"Number two in the world, motivation to keep working harder," Kennedy said on his social media.
"Thanks to the team around me for making these days possible."
Jolly looked set to win back-to-back world titles in two different age groups in the U23 men final after holeshotting and leading until a mistake in the third straight stunted his speed and momentum, allowing Pieczanowsky to take the lead over the double into the final corner on the inside of the Australian.
Jolly tried to immediately cut underneath the Frenchman but had his move shut down by Dutchman Jason Noordam, who momentarily overtook Jolly for silver, only for Jolly to reclaim it right on the finish line.
The Victorian cut a dejected figure during the award ceremony and said he was "pretty devastated to say the least" on his social media.
"Letting go of the win because I decided to eat my handlebars and blind myself down third straight really sucks, but at this level one mistake can make or break, and I paid the price," Jolly continued.
"Grateful to be on the podium, ready for more."
Results
Elite Women
- Saya Sakakibara - 2nd
- Teya Rufus - 5th
- Lauren Reynolds - 6th
- Bella May - 16th (semifinal)
- Sienna Pal - 27th (last chance qualifier)
Elite Men
- Izaac Kennedy - 2nd
- Jack Davis - 16th (semifinal)
- Oli Moran - 41st (1/8 final)
U23 Men
- Josh Jolly - 2nd
- Jesse Asmus - 4th
- Joel Marsh - 10th (semifinal)
- Jordan Callum - 53rd (last chance qualifier)
Junior Women
- Charli Guy - 6th
- Imogen Healy - 17th (quarterfinal)
Junior Men
- Cam Gatt -10th (semifinal)
- Bailey Seckold - 23rd (quarterfinal)
- Preston Murray - 29th (quarterfinal)
- AJ Donald -32nd (quarterfinal)
Feature picture: SWpix.com / Alex Whitehead