Athletes

Lauren Reynolds

Age
33
Disciplines
BMX Racing
Categorisation
Podium Ready
Home state
Western Australia
State institute
Western Australia Institute of Sport

Born in Bunbury, as a child Lauren Reynolds was talented in both basketball and BMX racing, having started racing at the age of nine.

In 2008, she showed her potential when she won the silver medal at the junior world championships.

She finished ninth at her first elite world championships in 2010. That same year, Reynolds claimed her first elite podium in international competition: second place in a round of the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup in France.

In 2012, on her 21st birthday, Reynolds was selected to represent Australia at the Olympic Games. In London, she impressed in her first races but finished 15th after a crash in her last semi-final run.

The next year, she earned a career-best result at a world championship, winning the silver medal at the 2013 edition in Auckland. Reynolds has since made the final at three more world championships: 2017 (Rock Hill – 7th), 2021 (Papendal – 5th) and 2023 (Glasgow – 6th).

In 2015, Reynolds won the Oceania title and took another podium place in the World Cup, this time in Sweden.

In 2016, Reynolds participated in her second Olympic Games. She lined up in Rio alongside fellow Australian Caroline Buchanan in her semi-final, where she finished seventh, sixth and fourth in her three races to place 11th overall.

In 2021, Reynolds made her third Olympic appearance, becoming the first Australian BMXer to achieve this milestone. She placed fifth in Tokyo, equalling Australia’s highest-ever finish in the event.

After a consistent run of finals appearances in World Cups across 2022, 2023 and early 2024, Reynolds has earned a record fourth Olympic Games participation in Paris.

Reynolds now calls San Diego home, although she enjoys returning home to WA for a spot of fishing with her dad.