In 2019, she assessed how much it would cost to participate in Tokyo and started a crowdfunding campaign.
Her parents aided her as much as they could, and she also worked as a teaching assistant in a nursery to meet the £50,000 ($70,000) target she set for herself to fund her trip to Japan.
In March 2019, she shared her experience and the GoFundMe link on her Facebook page that read, “Today is international women’s day! Despite the promotions to narrow the gender gap in cycling there still remains a big barrier within the sport for women…funding!”
“In 2017 my funding, specifically women’s BMX racing, was taken away. Since then, I have been funding myself, with the help of mum and dad, towards my BMX racing.”
“With the amount of racing ahead of the Olympic year, we simply don’t have enough to get me to these events and it’s always been my dream to compete in the Olympics, I’m more than capable of getting there!”
“Any donation would mean the absolute world to me, big or small. Please like and share my page, my link is in my bio, go and check out my story. Let’s get to Tokyo!!”
Facebook; pictured above is Bethany’s post
What makes this case even more remarkable is that it wasn’t Bethany’s only stumbling block. She’s fractured her wrist three times and had to recuperate from a tibia and fibula fracture that required metal plates to be implanted in her leg. She endured, and she is now an Olympic champion.
Then she won the gold medal, demonstrating that any obstacle can be overcome!
She defeated Colombian Mariana Pajon, a two-time Olympic gold medalist who was also her idol. And now Bethany, together with her teammate Kye Whyte, has become an inspiration to many as Britain’s first BMX medalist.