Basingstoke veteran BMX rider Sarah-Jane Nichols is continuing to defy expectations as she added another extraordinary achievement to her already remarkable comeback story.

Competing in the South BMX Championships last weekend in Gosport, Sarah-Jane shocked the field by winning the 50+ Men’s category.

With low entries in her usual Ladies 30+ category, the 54-year-old made the bold decision to enter the men’s class. 

Despite facing larger and stronger competitors, she led from the first berm and maintained her position throughout the race to claim victory.

READ MORE: Silver for Bramley BMX rider at world championships

“It was really tough, and I had to hold my nerves with the men being bigger and stronger, but using my own strength and determination, I made it into the first berm in front and led the rest of the race,” Sarah-Jane told the Gazette following her success.

The latest triumph caps off an incredible season for Sarah-Jane, who is currently ranked number one in the South Region in the Ladies 30+ class, joint second nationally, and an impressive second in the world for the 40+ category.

Her BMX journey is nothing short of inspirational.

After stepping away from the sport in 1987 to pursue a successful ice hockey career, she returned to BMX racing just two years ago after a 35-year hiatus.

Her comeback has been marked by a string of successes, including a silver medal at the World Championships in the 40+ category, held at the Rock Hill BMX Supercross Track in the United States.

At that event, Sarah-Jane was the oldest rider to reach the finals, competing against 68 other women from 41 countries.

Her journey back to BMX was inspired by the challenges she faced during the Covid pandemic and her struggles with menopause, prompting her to reassess her life and rekindle her passion for the sport she loved as a teenager.

Sarah-Jane, who became a seven-time British, four-time European, and one-time World BMX champion in the 1980s, returned to a vastly evolved sport but has embraced the new challenges.

SEE ALSO: Runners preparing for Basingstoke half marathon and 10k

She now plans to train intensively over the winter, focusing on gym work to prepare for next season’s racing.

Her ultimate goal is to compete at the 2025 World Championships in Copenhagen next August, where she hopes to build on her current success.

"Winning the South Championship in the men’s category was the icing on the cake for my second year back in the sport. Now, I’m going to train hard during the winter and get ready for next year," she added.