From nearly walking away from BMX after a concussion to becoming Olympic Gold Medallist and 2x World Champion — Saya Sakakibara’s story is one of fear, failure, and unstoppable resilience.
In this episode, Saya gets raw and real about the mental battle behind elite performance. She opens up about her brother’s life-changing crash, her own terrifying head injury at the Tokyo Games, and how she almost gave up on the sport she grew up in. What changed? A mindset coach. A new mission. And the belief that the gold is on the other side of fear.
If you're an athlete, entrepreneur, or anyone chasing big goals — this is a conversation you’ll feel in your gut.
00:00:00 – Saya’s Olympic victory & famous speech
00:04:00 – Fear, doubt & mental prep before the final
00:12:00 – Childhood, competition & starting BMX in Japan
00:19:00 – The mindset coach that changed everything
00:27:00 – Crashing out in Tokyo & rebuilding confidence
00:41:00 – Flow state, fun, and the race of a lifetime
00:48:00 – How support systems create champions
00:52:00 – Romain’s bronze + Saya’s gold = power couple
00:58:00 – Managing stress and anxiety like a pro
01:08:00 – Her #1 trait of a top 1% performer
01:15:00 – The advice she’d give the next generation
01:17:00 – What’s next: a world championship + a book
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