Five years after a crash that left him with a life-changing brain injury the former Olympic hopeful has a national title to his name – and his sights set on the Paralympics

Five years ago, Kai Sakakibara’s life nearly came to an end doing what he loved – bike racing. At a BMX world cup event in Bathurst, the Olympic hopeful was heading downhill into a turn when his front wheel seemed to buckle. The momentum saw Sakakibara slam headfirst into the dirt, causing carnage as a rider behind him tried to avoid the inevitable collision. In a split second, Sakakibara suffered a devastating brain injury.

It was unclear whether Sakakibara, who was 23 at the time, would survive. He eventually emerged from a coma, and it was uncertain if the cyclist would walk again. But last week Sakakibara was finally back doing what he loves.