History beckons but Ryan Henderson's journey about more than just the bike

Henderson was a motocross devotee until an accident left him with a broken C3 vertebrae in his neck. Next week he will become the first Irish BMX freestyler to compete in a major championship

RADICAL MOVE: Irish BMX freestyler Ryan Henderson in action. A motocross accident changed Henderson’s outlook on life. ‘I wanted to take control of my own life and I was so glad after I found BMX.’ Pic: Nick Scott

Sporting history isn’t all about records and podiums and trophies. It’s written mostly in nuggets and slivers and on the margins and Ryan Henderson will commit his own slice to posterity next week when he becomes the first Irish BMX freestyler to compete at a major championship.

The ultimate goal is Paris and the 2024 Olympics. Crack that ceiling and many more people will sit up and take notice of the 26-year old as he executes his tricks on courses flecked with ramps, walls and box jumps. Munich’s Europeans, then, are something of a Rubicon for Henderson and his sport and he brings no baggage having made it this far.