The 27-year-old is the headline draw at the garland event at the city’s award-winning revamped BMX Club as he looks to emerge victorious in the Elite Men's event for the second successive year.
The Goulburn Valley superstar reigned supreme at the 2025 edition of the championships held at Camden, NSW and is looking to achieve further success in front of a home crowd in his old stopping ground.
Speaking on the day of the Opening Ceremony of the BMX National Championships, Fletcher looked back with pride upon the special role the city and the BMX Club has had in his own pathway to stardom.
In an exclusive interview with The News, the rider has recalled heady days as a youngster at the venue.
“I first came here over 25 years ago and to see how great and big it is with the investment the council has put into the club to make it this amazing facility which can host events such as the 2028 World Cup, is amazing to see.
“I was about three-and-a-half, almost four when I started here and my dad brought me over with my elder brother.”
He explained how the club itself provided him with a community of like-minded people as he refelcted on the role it played in shaping him during his formative years.
“The club just welcomed us with open arms and that was our weekends for the next 10 years as a family.
“I just stuck with it and you couldn’t get me away from the BMX track after that, since then I’ve never stopped.”
Not only was it the day of the Opening Ceremony of the National Championships but the event also saw AusCycling and Greater Shepparton City Council come together to announce that two rounds of the BMX Racing World Cup will take place in the city in 2028 ahead of the Olympics.
“I’m not sure if it’s the fresh country air or the work ethic that kids are brought up with, but there's definitely something that breeds (riders) tougher and stronger out here,” he said, as he assessed the city’s unique place in the nation’s BMX history.
On defending his National Championship on home soil, it is clear that the proud Shepparton man is overjoyed by the prospect of performing for a home crowd.
“If you told me as a four year old I’d be in this position, 20-odd years later, he’d tell you that you were lying,” he said.
“It’s a great opportunity for myself and also to see everyone out here enjoying it is amazing.”
In a closing comment, Fletcher outlined his hope that this event leaves a long legacy in these parts.
“I just hope it inspires all of the younger riders to keep training and working hard and you get very few opportunities like this in a lifetime so I hope that inspires them, ” he said.
21°C