Before Paris, BMX Silver Medalist Perris Benegas Enjoyed Training In Utah
Aug 1, 2024, 5:46 PM | Updated: 7:36 pm
PARIS — People travel from all over the globe to mountain bike in Utah, including Perris Benegas, who won a silver medal in BMX freestyle at the Summer Games and then talked with KSL TV’s Alex Cabrero.
Utah’s diverse mountain and desert landscapes are well known for trails from forest peaks to slick rock trails. But, USA Cycling built a BMX freestyle training facility in South Jordan that Benegas said definitely helped her succeed in Paris.
Perris Benegas wins silver in Paris! pic.twitter.com/LZzN3YwSL0
— X Games (@XGames) July 31, 2024
Benegas, a Nevada native, earned the silver by putting up the tricks and moves that she said the Utah facility helped her perfect. Riders don’t know the specific layout of the Olympic course ahead of the competition but the South Jordan facility presented every foreseeable obstacle possible in Paris.
That includes box jumps, spins, grinds, manuals, and tailwhips. You name it.
But more than that, Benegas said it’s great for the team to have a home where riders can spend time and train together — progress together. And she said so far, she loves Utah.
“It reminds me of home. The weather is crazy, just like Reno,” she said. “You wake up, it’s sunshine and in the afternoon it’s snowing. It’s just awesome to be there and the outdoors and so much to do. It’s nice to have that outside of riding and be able to spend time together in a beautiful place.”
The entire USA Cycling team will not be based in South Jordan, just the BMX freestyle team inside the larger USA Cycling.
