Focus on the Olympics: Donny Robinson (2008 Cycling Hopeful)

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

23 May 2008 08:07 AM

Welcome to our Focus on the Olympics articles that introduces you to our Olympic athletes and hopefuls that will be competing in Beijing this summer. This is a great way to educate our kids and ourselves on the sports, the competitors and the dream of Olympic Gold that for many of these athletes began many years ago and will culminate this August in Beijing.

Meet Donny Robinson

Donny first competed in BMX at age 6. That same year, he started his eight-year training in gymnastics, and he credits the tumbling maneuvers he learned to being injured less when flying or falling off his bike. He turned to professional BMX cycling just months after graduating from Napa High School in Napa, Calif., in 2001. He says his favorite part of BMX is getting to travel the world, meeting new people and making new friends. Donny is a devout Christian and was baptized in high school. His iPod is full of Christian music and he, himself, has been in choirs since he was 8 years old.

Why Root for Him?

In August 2007, Donny won the BMX Cycling Test Event in Beijing on the same course where he could race a year later at the 2008 Olympic Games, when BMX Cycling makes its Olympic debut. At 5'5" and 150 lbs., he is considered extremely small for a BMX rider, as most of his fellow competitors are at least 6'0" and 200 lbs. However, he is currently the top-ranked BMX cyclist in the world, and he is expected to make a big impact at BMX's inaugural event in Beijing.

Performance History

• 2007 Beijing BMX Cycling Test Event Champion
• 2006 "Golden Crank" Pro of the Year
• 2006 Overall UCI BMX Supercross Series Champion
• 2006 Fréjus Roc d'Azur UCI BMX Supercross World Cup Champion
• 2006 Dew Action Sports Tour BMX Supercross runner-up

Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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