Zachary Dalli has always been right at home on a bike.
At just two, he was so confident on two wheels his training wheels were taken off his bike.
When he was five, an ad for a BMX club ad at a local shopping centre piqued his interest. by the time he was six he qualified for his first BMX national championships.
Last month, the now eight-year-old, competed in his third straight nationals, this time in Brisbane.
Competing in the nine-year-old boys’ competition, Dalli finished seventh out of 74 competitors, earning himself an A-plate for making the final.
Going into the nationals, Dalli had set himself a goal of making the top eight.
“When I finished the semi-final, I had a huge smile on my face,” he said. “It was pretty good to get an A-plate.”
The result means Dalli qualified to represent Australia at the World Championships in the US in July.
However, his father, Simon, said they would likely skip the world titles and hope for another opportunity.
Simon said Dalli, who rides at Geelong BMX club, would continue to work hard with his coach James Lautier, a rider in his own right, to continue to improve.
Dalli, who rides for PK Racing, is already looking to next year.
“I want to get picked in the Victorian team again,” he said..
While he has aims of making the Olympics down the track,Dalli is happy to continue competing in the sport he loves.
“I like going fast and going over jumps.”
