Australia's Saya Sakakibara says it's surreal to have won the BMX World Cup a year after almost quitting the sport.
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The 24-year-old won her fifth World Cup event of the season on Saturday to be crowned the overall women's No.1.
Sakakibara earned her first global title when she reached the semi-final in the season-finale in Santiago del Estero, Argentina.
The Queenslander then triumphed in her semi, and followed up to win the final, to emphatically underline her champion status.
The result caps a remarkable comeback for Sakakibara, who suffered head injuries in a horror crash at the Tokyo Olympics of 2021.
She took an extended break from competition after her semi-final crash in Japan left her with lingering concussion symptoms.
She was riding with added motivation for her brother Kai, who suffered a shocking BMX race injury of his own in February 2020 and was in a coma for two months with severe brain trauma.
Sakakibara said after her struggles, her world title means "everything".
"This time last year I was in the lowest of the lows," she said.
"I definitely thought of giving up altogether, I really didn't think it was worth the risk.
"But I am so happy that I brought out the courage and gave it one more red-hot go and it really paid off.
"When I was at home with my concussion this time last year, I never would have thought that I would win this overall and have such a successful season."
Olympic champion Bethany Shriever from Great Britain finished second overall while Frenchman Romain Mahieu won the men's world title.
Australian Associated Press
