Since the tender age of 4, Daina Tuchscherer has been racing competitively in the sport of BMX cycling. At the time, it could not have even been imagined that one day, young Daina could be heading to the Olympics.
BMX racing became a medal sport at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing under the UCI sanctioning body. Sanctioning bodies in the United States are the American Bicycle Association (ABA) and the National Bicycle League (NBL). The ABA is certified under the UCI (International Cycling Union), which is recognized by the Olympic Committee. So, with that, Tuchscherer set her sights on the upcoming 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.
The 17 Chestermere resident, is a student at Canada Olympic Sport School at Canada Olympic Park and will be graduating this June. With 13 years under her belt, she has been on the national team since she was 16, the youngest a rider can be accepted and has been representing Canada since she was 14. She is currently being trained by Curtis Durocher at KI Fitness in Calgary and has done so since she was 14. But, it has not been an easy ride to get to where she is today.
Durocher explains, “Daina has had some amazing highs and lows over the year of 2014. She finished 8th at the world championships in July. She was the youngest in the field (17). It was a huge victory for her and for BMX in Canada. Her placing gave Canada a qualifying spot to the 2016 Olympic Games. The career low came months later when she got into a horrific crash in Chula Vista, California at the Olympic Training Center. She had to get airlifted to the hospital. She punctured her liver, had a severe concussion and a large air pocket in her lunge. Currently she is on the comeback and has been since November, BMX Canada and I her trainer, feel like 2015 is going to be breakout year for her.”
To look at the young racer, you would never guess that she is the force to reckon with that she has proven to be in the world of BMX racing. Watching her workout, she is proof of the saying ‘tiny but mighty’. With a smile always on her face, even when doing her weight lifting under the careful eye of trainer Curtis, her faced beamed when the topic of going to the Olympics was brought up.
“Daina and I have talked about the Olympics, and to her it seems just like another competition, which is actually great, it keeps her nerves down. Because of the high level competition she does routinely (This year will be the Pan American games), I do not think she understands the size of the games or that it is even that big of a deal”, explained Curtis Durocher.
It won’t be known until later this year, if Daina will be representing Canada at the 2016 Olympics, but has a Canadian has never medaled in her sport, I’m sure Daina is just the girl to bring that medal home. Good luck Daina!!
