In 2020, BMX put Kai in a coma. Now his sister Saya has won in the same event at the 2024 Olympics.

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They say that lightning never strikes twice, but for the Sakakibara family, the opposite has been true in one inspiring and also one terrifying way.

Since the age of three, Australian Kai Sakakibara was training to become a BMX champion, however he wasn't the only talent in the family. Never far from his side, younger sister Saya was also there.

"She just got dragged along, she only did it because of me," Kai told the Nine Network before the 2020 Paris Olympics.

By the age of four, Saya was also racing, quickly jumping up the ranks towards national titles. It was true, there would be two major sporting stars in this family.

Image: Instagram/sakakibarakai.

"Growing up we were a great team, we lived together, trained together and raced together," explains Kai. 

Just before the 2020 Olympics, Kai and Saya had both been considered strong medal prospects. However, the siblings’ dream of competing in Tokyo (they both share Japanese heritage) ground to a halt when tragedy struck. 

Kai fell in the opening heat at a BMX World Cup event in Canberra. 

He sustained head injuries and was airlifted to hospital, where he was operated on to reduce the pressure on his brain. Kai was placed in a medically induced coma. He would stay that way for the following two months. 

Doctors said they were "not confident he would survive."

"I spent two months in a coma, Saya spent two months by my side," Kai explains. "She cheered when I opened my eyes for the first time, when I moved my hands for the first time, when I stood up."

Kai was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and transferred to Liverpool Hospital's Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit, as he couldn't speak, walk or get out of bed. 

Meanwhile, Saya was selected to attend the Olympics in Tokyo and she went to represent both of them. Kai never held it against his sister that she was doing the one thing he had dreamed of. 

"I obviously was really close to making it to the Olympics, and that part really sucked, but I have a sister Saya, who made it [all the] way to the Olympics, which was so special, he said in an interview with Tokyo 2020. 

Given Kai's determination in his recovery, the family were able to travel to Japan for the Olympics. Kai even ended up carrying the torch for a section of the Paralympic Torch Relay. 

Reflecting on the experience, Kai said, "I lost a lot, but Saya lost me. Suddenly, she was on her own. And I watched her get better, and stronger too.

"Her dream was the Tokyo Olympics… I felt pride, love and excitement."

Image: Instagram/sakakibarakai.

Saya shoved her recent family trauma to the side, saying she competed for both herself and her brother on the world's stage. She made it through to the semi-finals until she too had a crash. 

Just a year-and-a-half after Kai nearly lost his life, Saya was carried off the Tokyo BMX course on a stretcher. 

"Seeing her unconscious on a stretcher, you probably get it, that was hard to watch," Kai said.

Saya was 'shaken' but was eventually cleared of serious injury, later returning to the course. 

"I don't really know what happened, but I know that I was riding really well," she said at the time. "My starts were going really well. I came down with Alise who caught up with me, we came down together. That's all I remember.

"This is so disappointing. I feel like I have let everyone down, and I let everyone down especially my brother."

Despite her regrets, Kai sent a message after the crash, writing, "I know this isn't what you wanted, but either way I'm proud and let's go and prepare for the next one."

Saya has always been aware of the danger that her sport poses, having crashed and become concussed multiple times. However, after Tokyo, she suffered prolonged concussion symptoms, and this crash in particular dealt her an emotional blow that needed healing. 

Kai said of the incident, "That was Saya's rock bottom. No support team, no me. Emotionally, it got too hard."

Saya was close to quitting the sport altogether, however, she eventually decided that she owed it to herself to conquer her fears and give it another go. She rose again from those ashes, and is now set to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

"I did a lot of research, reading books, listening to podcasts, talking to psychologists to find something that worked for me," she told Sports Hounds. 

"When I conquer my fear, it's an amazing feeling. And I think that's what drives me. And also, I hate the feeling of backing down from a challenge that I know I am capable of. So it's a push and pull from both ends."

Saya had a cracker 2023 season, clinching the title of World Cup champion, continuing this success throughout 2024. 

"To come back from that, find her passion again, that's incredible," Kai said. "Paris Olympics, she says it's for both of us. She wears my race number, 77. It's like I'm there with her… Saya and I, we will never give up."

Saya said her goal was to give Paris her everything. And she did exactly that.

Saya shed tears of joy on Friday night as she pedalled furiously to Olympic glory on her BMX rocket bike.

She became the first Australian BMX racer to win Olympic gold.

There was not a dry eye in the arena following Saya's win. Image: AAP.

Straight after her big win, Saya hugged her brother. It was a powerful moment. 

"He said, 'I'm proud of you' and I saw him when he was watching me on the podium and when the national anthem was playing, I just couldn't stop the tears," explained Sakakibara. 

"We've gone through so much. And it's super special he was here and also my parents as well. BMX means a lot, and it means a lot to both Kai and I. I still get to wear his number, 77, every time I race so I know that he's with me every time and I represent him every time I go out onto the track."

While Saya has been racing, Kai has been practising rowing, hoping to one day make the Australian Paralympic team. 

He told Connectivity Traumatic Brain Injury Australia, "I'm now rowing five days a week and have made good progress. It's challenging rowing with other people because we all have to row together in sync. The long-term goal is the Paralympics, I'm getting there, but it is going to take some time. Regardless I use the same approach I used in my rehabilitation; one step at a time."

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This article was originally published on July 30, 2024, and has since been updated with new information.

Feature Image: Instagram/sakakibarakai and sayasakakibara.