Asian Games: Japan’s teenage BMX star Miharu Ozawa has Olympic gold in her sights

Having recently claimed her first World Cup win and top spot in the overall annual rankings, rising star Miharu Ozawa is gunning for BMX freestyle park gold on home soil at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

The 16-year-old from Gifu Prefecture, neighbouring the games’ hub of Aichi in central Japan, hopes to use the competition as a step towards winning gold at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The second of seven siblings – two boys and five girls – she began riding alongside her older brother Kaede, 18, who is a member of the men’s national team.

She honed her skills on a course built at their home by her father, Kenji, who has a background in BMX. They also installed a foam pit for practising difficult and dangerous aerial moves, such as backflips.

Ozawa’s bag of tricks includes complex manoeuvres, featuring backflips and rotations of the bike frame and handlebars, more commonly seen in men’s competition.

Her family remains closely involved with her career. She trains at a park founded by her father some 30 minutes’ drive from their home, and her brother provides pointers on technique.

Ozawa’s prospective Asian Games rivals include a talented Chinese contingent, who swept the podium at the world championships in November 2025, as well as 15-year-old compatriot Rena Shirai, winner of the World Cup in May.

While Ozawa’s feats place her among the sport’s elite, she believes she can still raise her level significantly.

“I still have plenty of areas to improve,” she said. “I want to keep working hard every day.” KYODO NEWS