NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport

Positivity keeping Kawerau's Sarah Walker on track

David Beck
By David Beck
Multimedia sports journalist·Rotorua Daily Post·
11 Apr, 2018 10:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

It takes a lot of positivity and determination to recover from heartbreak in sport.

Luckily, Sarah Walker has both by the bucket load.

A Kawerau girl and Rotorua BMX Club member, Walker's hard work paid off and her dreams came true when she won silver at the London Olympics in 2012. However, it has been far from smooth sailing since.

She suffered a horrific crash in California in 2014, resulting in a severe concussion and six broken bones in her arms. Then, after a long recovery, she was on track to qualify for the Rio Olympics in 2016 when her preparations were disrupted by a broken arm in training. The setback ultimately cost her qualification for the event.

It has been a tough six years since she stood on that podium in 2012, but the infectious smile has barely wavered. Fast forward to 2018 and Walker has won her third Oceania BMX title as well as the elite women's race at the New Zealand BMX Championships.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

She is nearing her best form again and has her sights set on BMX World Cup and World Championship events, as well as, in the long term, Tokyo 2020.

"It sounds weird, but [moving on from missing Rio] was quite easy. Knowing there was nothing more I could've done, I did everything within my control to do the best I could, it just meant that at that time it just didn't work out.

Sarah Walker in hospital after surgery on her broken arm in 2016. Photo / File
Sarah Walker in hospital after surgery on her broken arm in 2016. Photo / File

"It was heartbreaking, but on reflection I was really proud of myself that through everything I gave it my all. Sometimes your best is a silver medal at London, sometimes your best is not qualifying at all, that's just sport.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I kind of see it as an injury is pretty short term in comparison to the rest of the year. Yeah, I've had a few injuries, but in comparison to the rest of the year, in terms of time, I've been healthy for a lot longer than I've been injured. Why would I stop doing something that I really enjoy and love for those short moments where I'm a little bit sore?" Walker said.

She made the final at the BMX World Championships in South Carolina last year, which was a big step on the path to potentially competing at another Olympics.

"It was cool because it was everyone who was at Rio and they were all in form, so to make the final amongst those people was a really cool moment for me. Having missed out [on Rio], even at the time, I believed in myself enough to know I was good enough."

She said, throughout her BMX career, she had learnt what she valued most personally.

Discover more

Sport

Watch: BMX star races around Sky Tower

06 Dec 06:50 AM
New Zealand

BMX champ Sarah Walker rides around Sky Tower

06 Dec 07:02 AM

"After London, when I was standing on the podium with my medal, I realised that the medal is an object and it's actually the feeling you get, the pride, the emotion that comes with it, that's the coolest part.

Sarah Walker celebrates a silver medal at the London Olympics in 2012. Photo / Getty Images
Sarah Walker celebrates a silver medal at the London Olympics in 2012. Photo / Getty Images

"Winning an Olympic medal, to me, isn't what I do it for any more. I just want to do the best that I can and know from experience that works out sometimes and sometimes it doesn't."

While fiercely competitive, Walker's focus was always on enjoying herself.

"It was cool to go over and win the Oceania title, it is nice every now and then to get a result, but it's most important to me to just have fun and enjoy it because when I do that I ride better anyway.

"I am absolutely a competitive person, I wouldn't do sport if I wasn't competitive naturally, but a lot of that competition now is against myself, seeing if I can be better than I was before and to see what I'm capable of.

Kawerau's Sarah Walker has not let severe injury or missing out on the Rio Olympics get her down. Photo / Stephen Parker
Kawerau's Sarah Walker has not let severe injury or missing out on the Rio Olympics get her down. Photo / Stephen Parker

"I know that I'm not quite in my best form, because we've got so much data and testing numbers that I know where I'm at, but I'm not that far off, which is cool. I'm getting closer and closer with every training."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

She is racing at BMX World Cup events in Belgium and Holland in the next month before taking on the BMX World Championships in Azerbaijan at the end of May.

"I've also got a world cup in Argentina in September and that's the first race of the Olympic qualifying period, so that will be the big race that I'm working towards.

"I'm aiming to be better than I've ever been by then."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Sport

Boxing

What was the additional flag on SBW's boxing strip?

Premium
OpinionGregor Paul

Gregor Paul: The risks in Razor's change-heavy All Blacks side

Golf

'Kind of crazy': Fox on his whirlwind season before final major


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

What was the additional flag on SBW's boxing strip?
Boxing

What was the additional flag on SBW's boxing strip?

The dual international was sporting an extra flag on his clothing - and it wasn't NZ's.

17 Jul 04:00 AM
Premium
Premium
Gregor Paul: The risks in Razor's change-heavy All Blacks side
Gregor Paul
OpinionGregor Paul

Gregor Paul: The risks in Razor's change-heavy All Blacks side

17 Jul 01:33 AM
'Kind of crazy': Fox on his whirlwind season before final major
Golf

'Kind of crazy': Fox on his whirlwind season before final major

17 Jul 01:20 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP