A circle of friends connected by goo touching! The “FIST BUMP” corner of the radio program “GRAND MARQUEE” features people who live and enjoy Tokyo in a relay format.
On January 17, professional BMX racer Asuma Nakai was introduced by Mr.MARCO, the representative of the creative label “MANNERS KNOWS”, and we asked him about his encounter with BMX, the appeal of BMX racing, his thoughts on the Paris Olympics, and more.
INDEX
He met BMX by chance near his parents’ house.
Celeina (MC): Today is your first radio appearance.
Nakai: Yes, it is. I’m nervous because I’ve never appeared on the radio before. Please give me your best regards.
Celeina: It’s nice to meet you. At the age of 5, he first encountered BMX racing in Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture, and at the age of 11, he made it to the finals of the World Championships for the first time. At the age of 12, he was scouted by a strong team in the U.S., the home of BMX racing, and began competing overseas. In 2019, he won the All-Japan Championships in his first year in the elite class, and in 2021 he became the first Japanese rider to win the U23 series championship in the UCI BMX World Cup series. In 2023, he won the gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games. Skillful riding is his specialty. He is aiming to win an Olympic medal with his sharp riding.
Nakai: Thank you very much.
Takano (MC): You started BMX when you were 5 years old, right?
Nakai: That’s right. But all the athletes who compete in BMX races started early, starting at the age of 2 or 3 with a strider, which doesn’t have pedals and is ridden by pushing. I was 5 years old when I got off the support wheels, so I am a very slow rider.
Celeina：Do you remember the feeling you had when you saw your first BMX race at age 5?
Nakai：I remember. My parents live in Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture, and there happened to be a BMX race course nearby. It was very interesting to be able to control my own speed, which I would never feel in my daily life, like riding a roller coaster. That was the first time I rode a BMX, and I went to a bicycle shop with my father and had him buy me a BMX.
Takano: You were not forced to do it, but you took the initiative.
Nakai: That’s right.
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BMX racing is an exciting “bicycle combat sport”.
Celeina: Mr. Nakai is currently based in the south of France as a professional BMX racer, and is now temporarily back in Japan, is that correct? You are aiming to compete in the Paris Olympics in the summer, but first, please tell us briefly about BMX racing. Is it called “the martial arts of bicycling”?
Nakai: There are various genres within BMX. There is “park,” where you freestyle your moves, and “street,” where you ride like a skateboard in the city. I do “race,” where up to eight people start off at once and compete for the fastest time. Since we are not separated by a track like in track and field events, we are allowed to bump into each other and obstruct each other’s paths.
Celeina: Even obstructing the course is allowed!
Nakai: That’s right. So during a race, there are many instances of elbow-to-elbow collisions, or rolling over an opponent, and so on. So it is such an exciting competition that it is called “the martial arts of bicycling” in Japan.
Takano: The courses have ups and downs and are bumpy.
Nakai: Each course has its own characteristics. For example, this course has big jumps, or it is very detailed and technical, or it has long straights, etc. There are many different types of courses, so every race is different and interesting. There are many different types of courses, so every race is different and interesting.
Celeina: It looks very fast in the video.
Nakai: About 2 seconds after the start, we go down a hill called Start Hill, where we reach a speed of about 60 kilometers per hour.
Takano: That’s faster than a moped.
Nakai: Eight people go down the hill at once, and there is a lot of movement, so it is a great adrenaline rush for those watching.
Takano: What parts of the race should we pay attention to in order to enjoy it more?
Nakai: I think the fierce clashes in the races are very exciting, even for those who have never seen them before. Also, in the tournament, there are four competitors moving up one by one, and it’s not just the top competitors, but the battle for fourth place is also fierce, so I think it will be interesting.
Takano: So there is a borderline between 4th and 5th place?
Nakai: That’s right. It is also interesting to see the various movements when you pay attention to the players who are your favorites.
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Injuries accumulated along with my career and the mentality to overcome them
Celeina: In addition to speed, you also have power, but don’t you get injured a lot?
Nakai: That’s right.
Celeina: I heard that Mr.Nakai broke his collarbone a month ago, is this the 6th time?
Nakai: This is the 6th time for my collarbone alone, but if I were to include my whole body, I would have to ask the doctor. Actually, I came back from France for surgery and rehabilitation.
Takano: Do you have no fear?
Nakai: It has sprouted a little bit recently.
Celeina: On the contrary, now?
Nakai: When I was a child, I was naughty and rode like “I ain’t afraid. These days, rather than the fear of falling, the fear of not being able to ride BMX for a period of time due to falling is starting to show up a bit.
Takano: So that courage is also a point in the race, right?
Nakai: That’s right. Each course has its own characteristics, and you have to conquer them quickly, but there are also some scary jumps. That’s why there are a lot of athletes who can’t make the jumps during practice. But there, I had to control my feelings and make the jumps.
Celeina：That’s strong. So it’s all about the heart. Now, I would like to send one song around here. I asked Mr. Nakai to choose a song that we would all like to listen to together at this time. Please start with the reason for the song selection.
Nakai: I chose “Hold On” by Good Charlotte because rock music from this era is often played at BMX competitions, and also because this song has given me courage.
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Last spurt to compete in the long-desired Paris Olympics
Takano: I understand that you are aiming for the Paris Olympics this year.
Nakai: I had set my sights on the Tokyo Olympics, but I just barely missed out, so with that in mind, I was working toward my goal of competing in the Paris Olympics.
Celeina: Based on the points from 2023, your entry to the Paris Olympics will be decided, right?
Nakai: I was very injured in 2023 so my points are pretty low. So if I get good results at the World Championships in May, I will finally qualify for the Paris Olympics. So now I am training to get good results at the World Championships.
Celeina: First of all, I hope your injury will heal soon.
Nakai: Mr.MARCO, who appeared on this corner yesterday, has been filming me until the World Championships and is making a documentary about me. I am looking forward to it, even though I am under a lot of pressure.
Takano: Is there a plan to release the film?
Nakai: We are aiming to make it around October or November next year. It’s turning out really cool, so check my Instagram if you’re so inclined.
Celeina：Now, “FIST BUMP”, a circle of friends connected by goo touch, is asking you to introduce your friends to us. What kind of people do you introduce to us, Mr. Nakai?
Nakai: This is Mr. BUNA, the manager of “TATTOO STUDIO YAMADA”.
Celeina: In a word?
Nakai: He is a stylish and interesting older brother.
Takano: Easy to understand! How did you get to know him?
Nakai: Actually, we just met recently. Mr.BUNA has a podcast called “WEiRDOS,” and I appeared on it, and we became friends. He is a very interesting older brother.
Celeina: I’m looking forward to seeing him tomorrow. Tomorrow we will connect to Mr.BUNA, the manager of TATTOO STUDIO YAMADA. Today we welcomed Mr. Asuma Nakai, a professional BMX racer. Thank you very much!
GRAND MARQUEE
J-WAVE (81.3FM) Mon-Thu 16:00 – 18:50
Navigator: Shinya Takano, Celeina Ann
