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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Emergency services, Aug. 8 ... Central Point fire burns outbuilding ... Suspect eluding police crashes, kills other driver ... Emergency services, Aug. 8 ... Central Point fire burns outbuilding ... Suspect eluding police crashes, kills other driver ... CYCLING Olympic Dreams Medford BMX racer Banuelos is thriving at Olympic Training Center By Dan Jones Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Dan Jones Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 3, 2015 @ 8:15 pm By Dan Jones Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 3, 2015 @ 8:15 pm » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> Josh Banuelos couldn’t ask for much more. Once on the brink of giving up the sport he loved, BMX racing, the 18-year-old Medford native is now a thriving summer resident of the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif. Once too badly injured to get on his bike, the recent South Medford High graduate is happy, healthy and whole. He zips around the replica tracks of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games and 2012 London Games and spends time in the presence of America’s best bikers in the Golden State. In short, Banuelos finds himself living his dream: the pursuit of Olympic greatness. “We have everything we need to succeed here,” he says. “The best tracks, a great gym and the nutrition we need. I’m so blessed to have an opportunity like this.” The 6-foot-3 Banuelos is one of 10 aspiring Olympians who were chosen to participate in the residency program. He’s poured himself fully into the opportunity, training at least four times a week on the track and logging daily work in the gymnasium. His goal, like the others, is to eventually represent the Unites States. BMX racing became a medal sport at the 2008 Games. The sanctioning bodies in the U.S. are the American Bicycle Association and the National Bicycle League. The 2016 Summer Games will be held in Rio de Janeiro and the 2020 Games in Tokyo. Only three men and two women from each country will compete on the grandest stage. “My goal is right here,” he says. “I’m only 18 and still have another year to mature and get as strong as (former Olympians) are. I am trying to be as realistic as I can. If I don’t make it this time, I can get a lot of experience going into Tokyo.” So far, 2015 has treated Banuelos well. He is aiming for the title of No. 1 amateur in the country with four national wins, five second-place finishes and one third. Along his life journey, Banuelos grew into an elite-level competitor with many other awards to his name. But the highs of winning have been matched by the lows of setbacks. Banuelos learned how to ride a bike without training wheels when he was 3 and was competing at age 4. Bear Creek Park is where he began to hone his craft. “(Bear Creek) is where I first learned,” he says. “It’s a public track. I’d go out with my dad. I took a couple spills and that is what kept me going.” When Banuelos was 12, he dislocated a hip and shattered a knee while preparing for the world championships in Australia. He had five national titles in his age group at that point and was on a roll. Suddenly, everything changed. “The years following, I had a lot of surgeries,” Banuelos recalls. “It would be a surgery in November and then riding the following season and then another surgery. Mentally, that is hard. You stop believing in yourself. There were days when I didn’t know if I wanted to continue racing.” More hope came when he paid his final visit to the doctor at age 15. “Since then I’ve been healthy,” he says. “Basically, I’ve been getting back to where I was since then. Everything is falling into place now.” Banuelos now gets the chance to interact with former Olympians like Nicholas Long, Connor Fields and David Herman. They train on towering tracks with huge jumps and at heart-stopping speeds. The replica London track on site is being modified to resemble the Rio track, although exact designs aren’t allowed and the course is being structured to be even more challenging. “(In competitions), you are within a foot of each other, making contact,” he says. “It’s an adrenaline rush.” Banuelos is thankful to have received advice from Mike Day, a 6-foot-3 rider and the 2008 Olympic Games silver medalist. “I met him in development camps here when I was 15,” Banuelos says. “He was really awesome. He gave me a lot of tips because I was taller.” Those who know Banuelos well — like Adam Treadwell, the owner, manager and coach of Black Box Ind. — are simply happy for him. “No one has ever really gotten to that level from Oregon,” Treadwell says. “He is definitely humble, a quiet go-getter kind of kid. When he’s got his mind set on something, nothing stops him.” Banuelos is now back home visiting and hosting some clinics. His residency at the center ends Aug. 31, but he’ll return frequently for various obligations and opportunities. While in the Rogue Valley, he’ll pursue a degree at Rogue Community College. Banuelos hopes to compete as a professional next year in World Cup action. Points in those events help determine who gets to compete in the Olympics. Banuelos is willing to do whatever it takes to live out his ultimate dream. “You have to stay hungry every day,” he says. Reach reporter Dan Jones at 541-776-4499, or email [email protected]. Find him online at twitter.com/danjonesmt By Dan Jones Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Dan Jones Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 3, 2015 @ 8:15 pm » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. fantasy football Olympics --> --> Fantasy Football 2016: Funniest Preseason Team Names, Top Sleepers Aug. 7, 2016 at 2:00 pm Fantasy Football Mobile Cheatsheet, Mock-Draft Strategy for Top Positions Aug. 7, 2016 at 7:00 am Fantasy Football 2016: Rookie Rankings, Top Team Names for Young Stars Aug. 6, 2016 at 2:00 pm Fantasy Football 2016: Standard League Mock Draft and Position Strategy Aug. 6, 2016 at 7:00 am Fantasy Football 2016: Breaking Down Mock Draft and Cheat Sheet Aug. 5, 2016 at 7:00 am Fantasy Football Mock Draft, Bold Picks and Strategy Aug. 3, 2016 at 7:00 am calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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