Not your average 8-year-old: Rising BMX star competes at World Championships in Rock Hill

An 8-year-old braided cutie, Irelyn McGinley sat quietly Monday in a large tent behind the spectator bleachers with a dozen other 8-year-olds on Team USA that she competes with in BMX racing.

Her parents, just like the other children, were in the stands waiting to catch a glimpse of their daughters flying down the first hill off the platform. Irelyn is from Birmingham, Washington.

The BMX World Championships run from May 12-18 at the Rock Hill BMX Supercross Track in Riverwalk. Thousands of spectators are lining the stands and hundreds of athletes are competing for world championship titles.

In the athletes-only area, the girls with mostly braided locks were supervised by their coaches as the 2nd grade girls molded Play-Doh played with gold, sparkly putty and colored with markers. Across from the tent, the girls could get a snack.

In another tent, their bicycles lay upside down in rows. And a couple of tents over, the 9- and 10- year-olds waited their turn.

In total, 32 eight-year-old girls from a number of different countries competed.

Hopping on and falling off

Outside the tent with the track in focus, an oversized screen televised the races for the waiting athletes to watch.

As organizers started calling for the racers to line up, Irelyn, who sat on her first BMX bike when she was 2-years-old, sped over to the tent to gather her helmet and gloves. Then she hopped on her bike and disappeared through a throng of other children.

A coach said he expected Irelyn to place at the top.

During her first race, Irelyn fell and dropped off behind the other competitors. After the second race, she was in 16th place. By the end of the day, Irelyn finished in second place.

The BMX World Championships continue through Saturday at the Rock Hill BMX Supercross Track. Visit www.2024bmxworlds.com for more details.

Tracy Kimball

The Herald

Tracy Kimball has been a visual journalist for The Herald since 2016