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Mia Reyna, a fifth grader at Fairmeadow Elementary School, discovered a hidden talent during the dark days of COVID-19, when she found herself stuck inside the house for long stretches of time.
Biking on nearby bay trails was one of the few activities her family was still able to participate in during that time. So Reyna’s mother, Karla Alvarez, thought she and her family should kick it up a notch. Together, they visited their first pump track, a bike loop of bumps and turns where riders can generate more speed.
“The first time I got there and saw the track, or pump track, I knew that was the thing that I would love to do,” Reyna said. “So I got on my bike, went down, and I fell in love.”
At just five years old, Reyna’s natural affinity for bike riding turned into international championships and world-rankings in BMX biking – talent her coaches said is rare.
Reyna, who is now 10 years old, ranked number one in the country in her age group for the third year in a row and fifth in the age 11 girls BMX World Championships. And she is just getting started.
After less than a year of getting into the sport, Reyna began competing at local competitions, Alvarez said, and was able to win races alongside more experienced riders who were a part of teams.
“Since then, she hasn’t stopped,” Alvarez said.
By 2021, Reyna began competing in her first round of nationals, where she crossed paths with Jerry Bradford, her first scout and coach. Bradford operated a factory bike team in Monterey at the time and was seeking out younger athletes for his team. A friend recommended meeting Reyna.
“She was only six years old, and she got second in the main event, but she was mad,” Bradford said, laughing. “I could tell there’s a lot of fire in this little girl.”
Upon meeting at the competition in Bakersfield, Reyna joined Bradford’s team and trained for months. During her work, Reyna always had a smile on her face and was excited to train, Bradford said.
“That is rare for our kids,” he said. “So I knew we had something really, really special.”
Reyna is so dedicated to improving that she often misses birthday parties and social events. If she skips training one day, she adds it to her work the next day, Reyna said.
For two years in a row Reyna cleaned house, winning all four national races for her age group, a feat called a “grand slam,” Bradford said. But this year, Reyna faced new challenges after tearing her meniscus just a month before grand nationals.
In an effort to conserve her energy and health, Reyna skipped some races and focused on her “class race,” where girls in her age group use a standard 20-inch bike. Although she had gone weeks without training, she still placed first in the race, Bradford said.
“That’s just Mia,” he said. “She has something in her that most kids don’t have. She’s a champion.”
While Reyna is no longer a part of Bradford’s team, he still helps her train and attends her races. After helping train young bikers for nearly 30 years, Bradford has stepped away from running factory teams.
“The only reason I’m still involved is, honestly, is mainly because of her,” he said. “She keeps me in the game.”
In just the span of a few years Reyna has traveled across the country and to Denmark. Next year, she will compete in Australia.
While her journey has just begun, Reyna’s biggest dream is to compete in the Olympics.
“I’ve learned a lot over the years, and I feel like I can do whatever I put my mind to,” Reyna said.
Anyone interested in following her journey can find updates on her Instagram account.
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly listed what grade Reyna was in when she discovered BMX biking. At the time, she was in kindergarten. We regret the error.
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Fascinating! But something doesn’t compute.
“Mia Reyna discovered a hidden talent during the dark days of COVID-19, when as a fifth grader in Fairmeadow Elementary School she found herself stuck inside the house for long stretches of time.” –> If she’s ten years old now, she wasn’t in fifth grade then.