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Extreme Barcelona hosted the first PARABMX competition, the first of its kind in Europe
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The project was spearheaded by Julian Molina, a BMX rider known for his career and personal story
On the 15th anniversary of Extreme Barcelona, the first PARABMX competition was held, an event that marked an important milestone and broke down significant barriers in the world of urban sports. This pioneering international competition in Europe had the backing and collaboration of Extreme Barcelona, together with Proyecto111, 360bs and parabmxfreestyle, representing a step forward in the promotion and recognition of inclusive and adapted sport worldwide.
The main objective of this initiative was to support and promote Paralympic sport. Extreme Barcelona introduced this trial competition in the hope that urban sports would also have a place in the Paralympic programme, representing a significant step forward in sporting inclusion.
The competition was led by Julian Molina, a leading BMX athlete who lost his left leg in a medical accident as a child. Despite this tragedy, Julian never gave up his passion for BMX and became a benchmark in this extreme sport.
Julian began his BMX journey at a young age and, despite having a poor quality starter bike, he began learning tricks by watching video game videos and quickly excelled in the sport. His story became widely recognised by the media, who dedicated documentaries and reports to him. Although he did not seek to be a role model, his story inspired many, emphasising the importance of overcoming tragedy and looking for solutions rather than problems.
As for his future plans, Julian has a clear goal: to take ParaBMX to the Paralympic Games. Despite being a pioneer in the sport, he is determined to give visibility to other talents that often go unnoticed and he sees the Paralympics as the ideal stage to achieve this.
This competition as part of Extreme Barcelona brought together international adapted athletes who showcased their dedication and competitive passion by displaying their best tricks on the different modules of the Street Plaza. The championship had a clear objective: to send a message of support for inclusive and adapted sport. PARABMX’s presence in the 15th anniversary sports offering was a powerful affirmation that all individuals, regardless of their abilities, deserve the opportunity to compete and showcase their talent on an international stage.
