OQS Shanghai winner Sun Sibei out, Queensaray Villegas keeps twin sister's dream alive
The winner of women's BMX Freestyle Park at Olympic Qualifier Series Shanghai and world No.2, Sun Sibei, did not make the final. Will she miss Paris 2024?
Cycling BMX Freestyle
Trying to secure a quota* at an Olympic Games is a nerve-wracking experience.
Just ask world no. 2 Sun Sibei, who was left in tears after missing out on qualifying for the BMX freestyle final at the Olympic Qualifier Series (OQS) in Budapest on Friday (21 June). The People's Republic of China ace is now at risk of missing Paris 2024, with her teammates both making it into the top 12.
While Sun is no longer in control of her destiny, others are continuing on their journey to obtain a quota spot for Paris 2024 - and for one rider, it's an especially daunting task as she's representing two people: one of them her twin sister.
Identical twins Queensaray and Lizsurley Villegas were hoping to represent Colombia together at the OQS, which is the last chance for BMX Frestylers to secure a quota to Paris. But when Lizsurley – the more accomplished of the two – had two knee injuries back-to-back it was left to Queensaray to represent them both.
“The dream that we have is to be together in the Olympics,” Queensaray, who is the youngest of the two by a few minutes, told Olympics.com. "That's what we wanted, being at the Olympic Games representing Colombia.”
Queensaray set that dream in motion when she dropped into the BMX freestyle park in Budapest, Hungary on Friday, 21 June in the women’s park qualification. She scored 79.00 on her first run and added 65.40 points in the second for an average of 72.20 points.
The effort put the Colombian just above the cutline of the 12-woman final, her sister watching her every move from under a large umbrella next to the competition field.
“I feel so nervous, but I choose to watch her and always I say, 'Everything is OK',” Lizsurley told Olympics.com. “Every competition I always try to motivate my sister because I think that she need that in every competition. Always I have to share my energy and say that everything is OK.”
*As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.
Click here to see the official qualification system for each sport.
Queensaray and Lizsurley Villegas: Two twins, one dream
The Villegas twins got into BMX at the same time. Their mother would show them videos of fellow Colombian, double BMX racing Olympic champion Mariana Pajon, which motivated them to try the sport. However, since there were no racing tracks nearby, the sisters switched their focus to BMX freestyle instead.
Starting off on borrowed bikes, they gradually progressed up the world rankings until both stood in contention to fight for a spot at the Olympic Games.
Lizsurley was invited to compete for an Olympic spot via the Olympic Qualifier Series based on her past results, but due to injuries, she had to concede that Paris 2024 was no longer a possibility. Her place in the OQS passed to sister Queensaray.
“It's so hard because this is my world and I like to ride BMX and I like to share with my sister every competition, so it's so sad,” Lizsurley said of watching the OQS from the sidelines. “But I'm (also) so happy because to see the girls ride BMX and to be here is amazing.”
While she could not compete in Shanghai or Budapest, Lizsurley continues to travel with the Colombian team to support her sister.
As always when they travel, the twins share a room together. And so, when Queensaray woke up in the morning of the qualification round, her sister was the first to calm her down and share some words of wisdom.
“The important thing that she said is have fun,” Queensaray said. “Do what you always do in practice and feel comfortable in the park and try to do everything you want. Don't think about what you want to do. Just do it.”
Once Queensaray dropped into the park, their twin connection helped them to live each others' emotions.
“We can feel what is happening when we compete," Queensaray explained. "I can feel what she feels now and that's crazy because she knows what she can say to me to feel better."
“For me it's amazing because I see her ride her bike and it's so beautiful," Lizsurley agreed. "Maybe sometime I think that she can't do it, but always you have in your mind that you can do everything. So that is so beautiful for me and it's like motivation.”
Sun Sibei's heartbreaking run
While the Villegas twins were in celebration mode after Queensaray advanced to the final, set for Saturday, 22 June, another BMX rider was devastated.
The winner of the Shanghai stage of the Olympic Qualifier Series, Sun Sibei of the People’s Republic of China, was in tears as she finished 14th in qualification and failed to advance to the next stage.
While Sun has the full 50 points from her win in Shanghai, her two teammates Sun Jiaqi and Deng Yawen, were second and third, respectively. Each NOC can get a maximum of two quotas per gender at Paris 2024, which turns the odds against the Shanghai winner.
USA’s Hannah Roberts led the qualification with Deng and Switzerland's Nikita Ducarroz wrapping up the top three.
Olympic champion Charlotte Worthington also made the cut, in ninth place with 77.35 points, despite struggling with nerves throughout the night and morning.
The British rider took a mental health break after winning gold at Tokyo 2020 and said she is now trying to savour every competition she enters.
"I've just been focusing my riding on things that I really enjoy doing and rebuilding my confidence," Worthington told Olympics.com. "No matter who you are, if you take a step away from either competing or training, the tricks are all in the muscle memory but your confidence and the mentality will take a hit. So I'm definitely rebuilding on that and I think I'm taking a step in the right direction. So I'm very proud of myself today."
OQS Budapest BMX Freestyle Park women's qualification - Results
- Hannah Roberts (USA) – 83.43 Q
- Deng Yawen (CHN) – 81.81 Q
- Nikita Ducarroz (SUI) – 81.58 Q
- Perris Benegas (USA) – 79.96 Q
- Natalya Diehm (AUS) – 79.79 Q
- Lara Marie Lessmann (GER) – 79.55 Q
- Sun Jiaqi (CHN) – 78.95 Q
- Laury Perez (FRA) – 77.72 Q
- Charlotte Worthington (GBR) – 77.35 Q
- Kim Lea Muller (GER) – 77.29 Q
- Macarena Perez Grasset (CHI) – 75.11 Q
- Queensaray Villegas Serna (COL) – 72.20 Q