BOZEMAN — It all started at the Gallatin Valley BMX track in Bozeman for 22-year-old Cameron Wood. His talents on the track have taken him across the world. Today, he’s hopeful for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
“The foundation of everything I’ve learned, even how to ride a bike, it all started right behind me here,” said Wood.
The first time Wood picked up a bike, he was only 3 years old.
“I’d ride down in people’s yards, ruin their flower gardens, and my mom was like, we’ve got to get this kid on a track,” said Wood.
It’s safe to say the training wheels are off now.
At the ripe age of 3, Wood hit the track at Gallatin Valley BMX and never looked back.
“I love it more every time I do it,” he said.
After attending Bozeman High School, Wood took off to Phoenix, Arizona, where the tracks aren’t covered in snow half the year.
“There’s more competition out there,” said Wood. “Things just took off for me.”
Wood is a two-time World Cup Champion with seven podiums overall. But his journey in this sport has been no smooth ride by any means.
“There’s been injuries, a lot of setbacks, but at the end of the day, I get to do what I love, travel around the world, race my bike — I never knew how far 2 wheels could take me,” said Wood.
He is currently the Olympic Points leader for Paris 2024 USA Men, has six USA BMX wins and 11 podiums, and finished the 2023 USA BMX National Series as the No. 2 Pro.
In the coming weeks, the team will be announced for Olympic BMX racing.
In the meantime, Wood says he’s just trying to soak it all in.
“It’s crazy,” he said. “I'm blessed and super thankful.”
Although his sport has taken him across the world, he says coming back to Bozeman where it all began makes him feel grateful to be a small-town kid who can inspire others to follow their dreams.
“Stick to it and keep believing,” said Wood. “There’s going to be things that happen in your life but keep that discipline, motivation, and reach for the stars.”
