Since she was four years old, BMX champion Logan Lee has perfected her motocross technique. Now at 15 years old, Lee has returned from the UCI BMX Racing World Championships in Brisbane, Australia, with the 15 Girls number one plate.
To Lee, her world title not only reflects her personal dedication, but the support of her BMX community, coaches, volunteers and family. Lee spent over a decade building her skills at Calgary BMX. A non-profit, volunteer-run bicycle motocross organization that has assisted her in achieving excellence.
After following her older brother into the sport, Lee began competing professionally at the age of 10. According to Lee, training in local tracks and participating in provincial and state championships across Canada and the United States has gotten her where she is today.
“Provincials are a good start because there’s multiple series in BMX,” she said.
“At the end of the year, there’s a Grands in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and I’ve done that every year.”
Qualifying for the World Championships required years of consistent competition and hard work. For Lee and Calgary BMX, the trip to Australia for the national championships was a massive milestone. She said representing Canada was an honour.
“Being able to represent Team Canada with the maple leaf was a pretty awesome feeling,” she said.
“I feel like all the training and all the sacrifices I had to make were all worth it at the end of the day.”
Tireless work to become a world champion
Behind the championship result was a demanding training schedule. Lee spent about 10 hours each week on a combination of track sessions and gym workouts while balancing school and a social life.
Despite the commitment required to compete internationally, Lee said she found support from those around her and those she met.
“It’s pretty awesome meeting people from around the world. It’s something a lot of people don’t get to experience,” she said.
“Having someone with similar training schedules and stuff to talk about. Now I know a lot of people from Australia, people from Colombia, all around.”
She credits everyone who’s helped her along her BMX journey, including her teachers for helping her stay on top of schoolwork while travelling for competitions.
“I really want to thank all the Calgary BMX parents and volunteers. I want to thank my coach Dylan Tremel and the Alberta parents for helping me during winter,” she said.
“I would also like to thank my factory team. I want to thank Hugo Donayes, the Danger Boy team, and Bike Supplies Team, Alberta Bicycle, Team Alberta; they’ve all done a lot for me to get to where I am today.”
Looking ahead, Lee said she hopes to defend her world title at next year’s championship in France. But past the title itself, she hopes her success encourages other young riders to pursue their goals.
“Enjoy the process. It’s a long process, but as long as you enjoy it and you’ll have fun,” she said.
“If you work hard for what you want, you can achieve a lot.”
According to Kelsey Marcotte, president of Calgary BMX, the organization recognizes and applauds her astounding achievements.
“Logan is a true star, and we are so, so proud of her!”
