Sam Willoughby

January 1, 2018 stood up on his own legs (with braces) to dance with his new wife Alise Post.

March 29, 2018 he rode his BMX bike first time after his crash, still unable to walk.

September 10, 2016 was declared a tetraplegic after a training run crash at Chula Vista BMX track.

In 2012, he won the Australian Institute of Sport Junior Athlete of the Year Award.

Willoughby left his Adelaide home at age 16 with a backpack, a meagre bank account balance and his BMX bike for California. He stayed at the home of fellow cyclists until he earned enough money from racing to afford a room in a motel. He won the junior BMX title in 2008 and again in 2009. Willoughby advanced into the senior ranks within two years of his arrival. He won his first senior BMX world championship in May 2012, which advanced his ranking to the number one spot in the world. Willoughby supports educating children about bicycle education through the Happiness Cycle.

Sam Willoughby (born 15 August 1991 in Bedford Park, South Australia) is an Australian BMX cyclist also known as 'the BMX bandit'. He competed in the men's BMX at the 2012 Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal on 10 August 2012 behind Māris Štrombergs of Latvia.