(Jun 27, 2026) BMX racer Agasthi Chandrasekhar has suffered multiple injuries from nasty crashes during his racing journey across the world. From concussions and shoulder fractures to finger injuries and knee tears, he has battled them all. Yet every fall has only made him stronger. He gets back on his bike, determined to overcome every obstacle with renewed vigour.
Spending nearly six months each year training abroad, sharpening his skills and competing against some of Asia’s best riders, the teenager’s passion, resilience and relentless hard work have made him one of India’s brightest BMX racing prospects—a sport still finding its footing in the country.
Having won the silver medal at the recent YSD BMX Race Series (1&2) in Malaysia, Agasthi is in hot pursuit of an Olympic dream. “The creativity involved in every race and the sheer speed make the sport both interesting and thrilling,” smiles Agasthi, speaking to The Global Indian from Bangkok, where he is currently training.
With no dedicated BMX racing infrastructure in India, Agasthi has spent the past few years training and competing in the United States, Malaysia and Thailand. He trains under legendary American BMX racer Connor Fields, the Olympic gold medallist at the 2016 Rio Games.
Silver in Malaysia
Agasthi was just 14 when he won a silver medal at the BMX National Series 2023-1, held at the Nilai race track in Malaysia, becoming the first Indian to compete in Race BMX and win an international medal.
“It was an Olympic-size track and my first experience on such a big track,” says the 17-year-old. The event featured riders from China, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and the UK. “It was a great learning experience as I competed with champions from different nations,” recalls Agasthi, who credits his coach Kamalesh for helping him win India’s first international BMX racing medal.
BMX has several disciplines. Race BMX, which Agasthi competes in, is an Olympic sport, while BMX Freestyle made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games. Street and Flatland BMX are also gaining popularity, with a small but growing community of riders in Mumbai.
Understanding BMX racing
A BMX race typically begins with eight riders launching simultaneously from the start gate before navigating a series of jumps, straights and sharp turns over a course that lasts just 35 to 40 seconds.
“Depending on the number of riders, there are two or three qualifying rounds, followed by the quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals. It’s mostly an elimination format.” When there are only eight riders in a category, the rider with the lowest cumulative points after three rounds is declared the winner. “The race is determined mostly by your gate start, though BMX is very dynamic. Riders can crash even just before the finish line,” explains Agasthi.
Training with Connor in the US
A few months after his breakthrough in Malaysia, Agasthi reached out to —a three-time Olympian and the first American to win an Olympic medal in BMX racing.
“He agreed to train and work with me.” Accompanied by his mother, Anupa Sekhar, a cyclist and certified Kalaripayattu teacher, Agasthi travelled to Las Vegas for two months of intensive training. “I came back with three national medals and a few club race wins in the US,” he shares.
“Connor makes me focus on one lap at a time, irrespective of whether it went well or badly. He taught me not to carry emotions from one race into the next, which helps me a lot in everyday life as well.”
Agasthi Chandrasekhar with Connor Fields
Since 2023, Agasthi has travelled to the US every year, spending two to three months training with Connor and competing in at least two national races across different cities. Las Vegas, with its multiple BMX tracks and regular club races, provides the ideal environment to sharpen new skills before testing them in competition. “Learning, practising new skills and then trying them out in club races is a very fruitful exercise. It adds a lot to my overall training.”
USA Grand Nationals
Last year marked another major milestone as Agasthi competed at the USA Grand Nationals, held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, from November 6 to December 1. Racing against some of the world’s best young riders, he finished fourth in his age category.
“This was a dream race for me, as it is for many BMX riders. The Grand Nationals is the biggest BMX race in the world in terms of participation. There are about 1,000 riders competing across various categories,” says Agasthi. Before the Grand Nationals, he also competed at the Arizona Nationals, registering several strong finishes. “In 2024, I attended a few national races in the US and did well.”
He is set to return to Las Vegas later this year to prepare for the next edition of the USA Grand Nationals, which will once again be held in Tulsa.
Silver again in Malaysia
The first and second races of the 2026 YSD BMX Race Series were held on May 9 and 10 in Malaysia, marking Agasthi’s debut in the Junior Men’s category (17–23 years).
Competing against around 18 riders, most of them from Malaysia, he secured another silver medal. “It was a good race. There is a pro-section jump that I couldn’t learn and practise before the race. I’ll be working on that in the coming weeks, which will be an added advantage for the rest of the races,” says the teenage racing sensation.
With the Malaysian track currently closed for repairs, Agasthi is training in Bangkok ahead of the Malaysian Nationals in July and the Asian Championships, scheduled for August 8 in Malaysia.
Behind every race
Behind Agasthi’s performances is a multidisciplinary support team that helps him prepare both physically and mentally. Besides head coach Connor Fields, his team includes strength and conditioning coach Kamalesh, BMX skills coach Hamza, physical trainer Shira Fernandes, nutritionist Aruna Prasad, psychologist Julie Iyer and insurance partner ASC 360.
For Agasthi, success is built not only on talent but also on the collective effort of the people guiding him at every stage of his journey.
Goa-born, Hyderabad-raised
Born on March 18, 2009, in Goa, Agasthi spent his early years in Mumbai and Bengaluru before his family moved to Hyderabad in 2013.
An active child, he learnt swimming at a young age and spent hours in the pool. He also played tennis with his mother, Anupa Sekhar, a cyclist and certified Kalaripayattu teacher. His father, Chandrasekhar, is a chartered accountant working in the hotel industry.
“My mother used to teach Kalaripayattu but has taken a break over the last few years as she travels with me full-time, playing the role of my manager,” says Agasthi. His younger sister, Adya, is 13.
The ride that changed everything
Agasthi’s cycling journey began almost by chance. To commemorate India’s 67th Independence Day, the Atlanta Foundation organised a 67-km cycle ride in Hyderabad on August 15, 2014. While his mother had signed up for the full ride, six-year-old Agasthi was expected to complete just five kilometres inside the Gachibowli Stadium.
“The evening before the ride, I asked if I could join the bigger ride. Mom took me along, while my dad was on standby at the 15-km mark to pick me up if needed.” He surprised everyone by completing the entire 67-km ride, marking the beginning of his cycling journey.
From endurance rides to BMX
The achievement sparked a passion for endurance cycling. Soon, Agasthi completed a 100-km ride on Republic Day and began participating in triathlons, often competing against older participants.
“I was enjoying my endurance rides. Then I got introduced to triathlons and started making a mark in older categories,” says Agasthi, who is currently in Class XII and studies online to balance academics with training.
Around the same time, a pump track—a purpose-built cycling track—was built near his home in Hyderabad. His mentor, Gokul Krishna of The Bike Affair, encouraged him to give it a try. “I fell in love with the track and the sport. I would spend hours there every day.”
Under the guidance of coach Hamza, Agasthi discovered a completely new world of cycling. “We had a lot of fun learning and practising together. The love and joy he instilled in me for the sport is what keeps me going.”
Discovering BMX
After nearly a year of training, Hamza organised a pump-track competition where Agasthi finished third despite competing against older children and adults. “The speed involved made it very interesting and that was a big pull factor.”
Soon after, Red Bull organised India’s first BMX World Championship qualifiers. “I competed in the junior category because of my age, but my timings were on par with many adult competitors.” It was another sign that he had found the sport where he truly belonged.
A world-class experience
Looking for greater exposure, Agasthi’s mother enrolled him in a two-week BMX freestyle camp at Woodward in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. “It was an amazing experience at a world-class facility,” says Agasthi
Around the same time, she came across a BMX race in Malaysia and contacted the organisers, who invited Agasthi to train and compete there. “It was the first time I visited a world-class race track. I realised the pump track was only one component of a full BMX race track.”
During his two-week training stint, Agasthi learnt the fundamentals of BMX racing—from gate starts and corners to handling straights, riding alongside seven other competitors and mastering race finishes. “I finished fifth in my first BMX race.”
As he began training regularly in Malaysia, his performances steadily improved. He also competed in Indonesia and Thailand, consistently qualifying for the finals and often finishing fifth. “I was qualifying for the finals in most of the races.”
Chasing the Olympic dream
Agasthi’s training schedule is as demanding as that of any elite athlete. It includes track sessions focusing on racing skills, endurance, sprint work on the Wattbike, strength and conditioning, and plyometric training. He also plans to incorporate yoga into his routine later this year.
His long-term goal is clear. “I want to represent India and win an Olympic gold medal in BMX racing at the Brisbane Olympics in 2032.” Before that, he hopes to compete on home soil when BMX makes its debut at the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad.
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Riding for India
Agasthi currently rides a bike from American manufacturer Daylight Cycles, a company he also represents in the United States. “I’ll be picking up another bike this year as a backup.” While his equipment and much of his training come from overseas, he hopes future Indian riders won’t have to travel abroad to pursue the sport.
“There are no BMX training academies in India. A full-fledged training facility needs to come up where children can start learning and practising racing with the right infrastructure, equipment and coaching.”
Beyond the track
Away from BMX, Agasthi enjoys playing and watching football, practising the drums and exploring nature. “I sometimes go birdwatching with my friends in Hyderabad or even by myself.”
For now, however, most of his year is spent travelling between training camps and race venues across the world—preparing for the biggest goal of his career. Every crash, every race and every podium finish brings him one step closer to realising his dream of putting India on the Olympic BMX map.
- Follow Agasthi Chandrasekhar on Instagram
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