Over the next few hours, Coteau-du-Lac resident and athlete Justin Lafleur will be flying to Glasgow, UK. The young man will be travelling there with his parents and grandparents to take part in the BMX World Championships.

Néomédia spoke to the 12-year-old earlier today, less than 12 hours before his departure. "I haven't done anything special to get ready (laughs). I can't wait to get there, I'm really looking forward to the experience," he confided on the other end of the phone.

What will the athlete be doing in the next few days? "The competition officially starts this Sunday, August 6. Until then, the next few days will be spent getting to know the track and taming it. I've done some video visualization of the track in the last few days, but it's not comparable to Coteau-du-Lac. The big slopes on this one are equivalent to the medium slopes on the Glasgow track. The calibre of the competition will be extremely high. The track is forbidden to competitors under eight years of age", he informs us.

A social fundraising campaign organized by Justin's family and friends helped defray the cost of his plane ticket. "We warmly thank all donors," said his mother Isabelle. 

A trip combining sport and tourism

In fact, the young man will be in Scotland from August 3 to 13. From August 6 to 9, he will attempt to deliver the best performance of his career on the big stage in front of parents and grandparents. Then, from August 9 to 13, he'll take advantage of some time off with his loved ones to do some sightseeing.

Has he prepared for the jet lag? "Not really. There are six hours more in Scotland than here. People who want to will still be able to follow my performances on social networks thanks to my mother, who will publish the link to do so."

The UCI 2023- BMX Racing World Cycling Championship website will also be streaming them live at: https://fr.uci.org/competition-hub/championnats-du-monde-de-cyclisme-uci-2023-bmx-racing.

What are Justin's expectations of this important competition? "I don't necessarily want to finish on the podium. If I reach the quarter-finals, that will be good. If I get to the semi-finals, I'll be really happy. But reaching the final would almost be a miracle, given the level of competition of the athletes present. The event will bring together the best in the world", he imagined.

If he takes the third or second step on the podium, Justin Lafleur will return home with a medal around his neck. For first place, in addition to his medal, he'll get his hands on a jersey.

At the time of Neomedia's conversation with the young man, he admitted he wasn't nervous about the challenge ahead. "I'll probably feel a bit of stress during the qualifying rounds," he concluded.