Sky’s the limit for after stellar debut for BMX freestyle rider
Despite starting freestyle training just four weeks prior, and suffering a knee injury that limited his preparation, Sinjin Caromba impressed judges with his skills.
Sinjin Caromba, a rider from Fourways, has burst onto the BMX freestyle scene, securing an impressive second place in his very first competition. He still pinches himself to believe he has made it this far.
Caromba was competing at the 2025 Park Lines BMX Tournament, the official BMX Freestyle South African Championships, which took place on June 6 at the newly built SkyLab Skatepark in Bryanston.
“It was super exciting. It was my first BMX freestyle competition,” he said, recalling the moment he stood on the podium after delivering a standout performance.
Also read: Local Best BMX riders compete at Park Lines tournament
Though Caromba is new to freestyle, his journey on two wheels started years ago. “I have been doing BMX racing for about eight years, and would ride scooters and skateboards at parks when I had free time. Then, when Skylab was built at JoziX, I decided to try BMX freestyle.”
He said the road to the competition wasn’t smooth, and the timing couldn’t have been tougher. “I only started riding freestyle four weeks before the competition. I then injured my knee two weeks before, while racing BMX, and wasn’t allowed to ride for the next two weeks. I only got back on my freestyle bike the day before the competition. So, my preparation was not great.”
Beyond the physical setbacks, Caromba also faced some nerves lining up against seasoned competitors. “I got nervous competing against such good riders, who were way more experienced than me. So, I decided to just go out and have fun, and just play on my bike like it was a normal day out.”
Also read: Cedarwood hockey player gears up for national tournament
Now, with a strong debut behind them, his focus is on growth and going even bigger. “My immediate goal is to learn to backflip on the bike and compete more. If I can enter a couple of smaller competitions in the next 12 months, I’d love to be able to enter as a Pro at next year’s Parklines.”
Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration! Have a story idea? We’d love to hear from you – join our WhatsApp group and share your thoughts!
