Eleven-year-old Cape Coral BMX star has Olympic-size aspirations
The various chapters of adventure that 11-year-old BMX racer Avery Jones conjures up annually continues with the words Olympics inserted into the discussion.
Jones heads to the Grand Nationals on Nov. 28 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, firmly entrenched as one of the best BMX racers in her age group and with all females, currently ranking fourth among all amateur females nationally.
A large contingent of local riders are competing in the Southeast Regional in Jacksonville this weekend, hopeful of qualifying for the nationals and joining Jones.
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The Pelican Elementary School student has cemented herself in the local record books as the most decorated racer in the 41 year history of Strausser BMX Sports Complex, joining previous nationally ranked record holders Maliek Byndloss and Michelle Huey. Byndloss now races professionally.
The quick climb to the elite of the sport all started by accident when she was watching brothers Brady and Owen at the Sports Complex and saying "I’m bored."
Her father, Nick Jones, told her to "pick up a bike and you won’t be bored anymore." She listened, joined the Expert Class in a matter of weeks and then qualified for the nationals in her first year, reaching the final in the Girls Expert Cruiser Class.
“I want to race BMX in the Olympics some day," said Avery. "That is the only goal I have, following the current Olympic Silver medalist Alise Willoughby.”
Willoughby is the current world champion and has mentored Jones several times.
“I’m very proud of what I have accomplished but I’m also determined to do more,” Avery said. “Hopefully nothing will stop me.”
Since starting the sport a little over three years ago, Jones has erased records while becoming a three-time Florida State champion, a three-time Florida Series winner and a three-time Southeast U.S. Region champion. She finished second in the 2018 Race of Champions in Tulsa.
Jones even has an endorsement deal for SpeedCo Bicycles, joining riders from all over the world. She also races for the Power FX SpeedCo national team.
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“This year has been a lot more challenging for me since I broke a bone in my foot in January and then two days after getting the boot off and racing in a Southeast Region race, I broke another bone in my foot and the boot went back on,” Jones said.
In late February after getting the OK from her doctor, Jones had six days to practice before qualifying for the World Championships on the U.S. team. She reached the semifinals in Zolder, Belgium, before losing.
She raced in the August Southeast U.S. Gold Cup with a broken thumb after she convinced her doctor to make a small cast so she could grip the bike. She won her third straight Gold Cup.
Avery has won 17 races in 2019 including three consecutive national races in Louisville, Kentucky, Sarasota and Houston. She also won races in South Carolina, Atlanta and Dothan, Alabama.
No. 4 national ranking among females because that ranking is regardless of age and if I win the Grand National I will be the No. 1 women in the United States,” Avery said.
If she reaches the No. 1 ranking she would join Byndloss, who was the No. 1 male in 2013.
“Hopefully no more broken bones for me, I’ve had my share of boots and casts,” she said.