INDIANAPOLIS — USA Cycling announced the five athletes who have been selected for the Paris 2024 Olympics in BMX Racing — and one of them is from Indianapolis.
Felicia Stancil, 29, is one of the two riders who qualified to compete in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games last month at the UCI BMX Racing World Championships in Rock Hill, South Carolina, according to a news release.
Officials said this is Stancil's second time qualifying for the Olympics. She made her Olympic debut in Tokyo at the 2020 Summer Olympic games and played fourth overall.
“It’s been a dream since BMX Racing debuted in the 2008 Olympics, and I’m excited to be returning for my second Olympic Games. France is a beautiful country, and this Olympic Games means even more having my family in the stands,” Stancil said.
USA Cycling said Stancil started racing when she was 4 years old. She told officials she was "inspired" by her dad, who was a professional BMX racer.
When she was just 6 years old, officials said she won her first national title. Three years later, at 9 years old, she won her first world title.
Stancil's professional career began in 2011. In that time, she has been able to win over 14 world titles.
“USA BMX is proud to have such talented athletes as part of our organization, and it has been such an honor to watch all five Olympic qualifiers grow into the seasoned professional riders they worked so hard to become,” B.A. Anderson, CEO of USA BMX, said. “I wish the athletes the best of luck as they compete on the international level at the 2024 Summer Olympics next month.”
The Summer 2024 Olympic BMX Racing events kick off Aug. 1 with three rounds of quarterfinals and a last chance qualifier race. Racing concludes the next day, Aug. 2, with three rounds of semifinals, and one final lap to crown Olympic champions in the main event.
