'It's An Indescribable Feeling': USA BMX Makes Final Preparations Before Heading To Paris

We're just 15 days away from BMX competition getting underway at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. For the five members of Team USA, today was one last chance to get in some fine tuning and practice before heading to France. 

"Any time I throw on the USA jersey and the red, white and blue it's an indescribable feeling, a complete privilege."

22-year-old Cameron Wood is the U-S-A's top male rider and has a real shot of medaling in Paris. This morning, Wood and the other four members of Team USA hit the track at the Hardesty National B-M-X Stadium to get in a few final practice runs before heading overseas. With a little more than two weeks before competition begins, the Montana native is balancing nerves and excitement.

 "You dedicate so much time and energy into this and this is something you dream about, something I've dreamed about," says Wood. "You realize the honor and privilege it is to represent the United States. You fulfill a life long dream."

This will also be the first Olympics for 23-year-old Daleny Vaughn. After narrowly missing the 2020 Games in Tokyo, the Arizona native is keeping things simple heading into the biggest competition of her life.

"Focusing on what I can do best and be better every day. Just not letting the competition itself get to me. Just keeping the mindset pretty neutral."

The United States will be just one of three countries to send a full five-member team to Paris. Both Wood and Vaughn say the red, white and blue has a great shot at gold.

"I think we're a strong team. There's a lot of people capable of winning it's just who executes on that day. I think we're all in a good place," says Wood.

Vaughn adds, "I think have the capability to do well and the resources are there, we just need to go out and execute."

Competition starts on August first with three round of quarterfinals, with medals on the line in the main event the following day. And for these five members of Team USA, it's a chance to fulfill a lifelong dream, and bring a medal back to the US.

"I still view myself as a kid from a small town in Montana. It's kind of hard to wrap my head around it. I understand the honor and privilege that it is," says Wood. "Anytime you throw on the USA jersey it's special and to do it at the very highest level of sport it's going to be something I'm going to remember the rest of my life."