Hi , my name is Jared Graves, I am currently 24 years old, and live in Toowoomba, Qld, My sport is BMX racing, which will be a part of the olympics for the first time in Beijing. Quick background on me, My story is probably a bit differnt to most olympic athletes, I started in the sport at age 5 and raced flat out for the next 7 years, until i wanted to be a normal kid and I quit. I then spent a couple years being a typical early teen brat but I like to think i farily quickly snapped out of it. From there I got into mountain bike racing, which i have been doing professionally for the past 7 years. I didnt get back into BMX racing until January 2005, when my Girlfriend Jess suggested I give it a go simply because "you'd probably still go alright at it" so i thought, why not? I got a basic bike, just something that would do the job and came 2nd in my first Pro race 1 month later.
Since then I have continued racing the mountain bike world cup and american NORBA series for my sponsor YETI cycles, where I have been a world cup winner, world championships silver medallist, world cup overall runner up and won the american Pro Downhill and 4X championship, and 2x Australian Champion.
During the past 12 months I have incorporated some of the bigger International BMX events, and in my 1st BMX world cup in July finsihed in 3rd place, which was also held on the Beijing olympic BMX track, and had every top rider in the world in attendance, and boosted my current world ranking to #7
Being an Olympian is my major goal right now, and I know im good enough to get a medal there too. I'm lucky enough to have an awesome support group, especially my sponsors (who dont even make BMX bikes...yet) who just want to support me in whatever I do, I have an awesome family and Girlfriend who knows as much about my sport as I do! what a bunch of troopers!
Some more personal info about me (that isnt too personal)
I enjoy being by myslef and my bikes in my garage way too much, i have a miniature fox terrier, Jake, who is easily the best dog in the world, I could live on super rooster chicken burgers (anyone who lives in Toowoomba will know what im talking about) I love a good game of poker, and I am especially partial to Bundy Rum (only when im not training, and im moderation of course...mostly) and yes, I am a bogan!