Park City teen wins 2024 BMX Freestyle National Championship, eyes future Olympic dreams

Photo: Drew McKensie

PARK CITY, UT—Fourteen-year-old Samuel McKenzie of Park City has earned the 2024 BMX Freestyle National Championship title in his age group. The achievement marks the culmination of years of dedication and progression in this emerging Olympic event.

“It felt really great to win,” McKenzie said. “I’ve been competing with USA BMX for the last three years, and every year I’ve wanted to be national champ, but I always fell just short, finishing second or third. I’ve been training all the time, and it just felt really good to get the title finally.”

The BMX Freestyle Finals took place on Oct. 12 at COR Park, a new Olympic training facility in South Jordan, Utah. After two impressive runs, McKenzie not only secured first place at the event but also captured the national championship. Leading up to the Finals, McKenzie had won events in Arizona and Texas.

“Competing at COR Park was super fun,” McKenzie said. “It’s one of my favorite parks in the whole country, and it was really cool to have a competition that felt local since I don’t usually get to compete on parks I know. It was also great having friends there—hanging out and competing together made the event even better.”

Though COR Park remains private, with limited public access, McKenzie is excited about what the facility offers. “I get to go once or twice a month right now. It was built as an Olympic training facility for 2024, and they’ve decided to keep it going with plans to transition it to a membership-based park. It has everything I need—more than Woodward—because it’s a full competition course.”

Training at Woodward Park City has played a critical role in McKenzie’s success. “Woodward really helps because we have the foam pit and the resi box, which makes it easier to practice tricks and get better through repetition,” he said. “But now, with COR Park, I’ll have access to even more features to work on competition-level runs.”

McKenzie, who discovered BMX through YouTube videos, said his love for the sport grew from watching others. “I started by just watching videos of kids riding BMX and thought it was really cool. I didn’t even have a bike yet,” McKenzie said. “After I got my bike, I kept watching videos and started learning new tricks. Eventually, I ended up competing against some of the same kids I watched.”

Throughout his journey, access to the right training facilities has been a significant challenge. McKenzie’s mom, Alisa, noted that the family traveled across the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic to find the right BMX communities and parks. “We sold our house and hit the road, traveling full-time in an RV,” she said. “We visited skate parks and BMX parks around the country, but we kept coming back to Park City because of Woodward. It really has been the best public facility for Samuel.”

Now, with COR Park’s expanded access, McKenzie sees a path toward his biggest goals: the Olympics, X Games, and international competitions. “The biggest goal is the Olympics,” McKenzie said. “I want to compete in X Games and World Cups, too, but the Olympics is the dream.”

Balancing BMX with other outdoor activities, McKenzie enjoys skiing, snowboarding, and mountain biking. “Even when I’m not training, I’m usually still doing something like skiing or biking,” McKenzie said. “It’s all fun, but it also pushes me to keep improving as an athlete.”

Looking ahead, McKenzie hopes to contribute to the growth of BMX Freestyle by mentoring younger riders. “We have a good group of kids here in Utah, and I help out with some of the younger ones,” McKenzie said. “I’d love to coach more kids at COR Park.”

As McKenzie prepares for the next chapter of his BMX journey, he recognizes the importance of community and collaboration. “Training with other elite riders will make a big difference,” he said. “Having access to the best facilities and being around top riders will push me to be better.”

With COR Park now a hub for Olympic hopefuls, McKenzie is excited about the future of BMX Freestyle in the U.S. and his role within it. “This park will bring in more riders and more opportunities for all of us to get to a higher level,” McKenzie said.

For McKenzie, this national championship is just the beginning. “I get a little nervous before competitions,” he admitted. “But I just breathe, visualize my run, and have backup plans in case something doesn’t go as expected. It helps a ton.”

The Park City community has been instrumental in McKenzie’s journey, and he looks forward to continuing to train locally while preparing for international competition. “The environment here is amazing,” his mom added. “Samuel is surrounded by athletes who push themselves every day. It’s the perfect place for him to grow as an athlete and chase his dreams.”

Follow McKenzie’s journey on Instagram: @samuel_mckenzie_bmx.