APPLETON – After 20 years on the professional BMX scene as a rider and judge, Neenah native Brian Kachinsky received a rare new opportunity just over a week ago: judge the BMX Freestyle Park competitions at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The 39-year-old Neenah High School graduate was the only North American selected for the five-person panel, which consisted of judges from around the world with extensive experience riding BMX and judging high-level competitions.
Kachinsky said he was a little nervous but he enjoyed the experience and was honored to be chosen.
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“Being selected as a judge for the Olympic debut of BMX Freestyle was an honor. With that honor, however, came a huge responsibility,” he said. “This was a responsibility I was equipped for via training and experience, but all the years of experience and preparation still didn’t eliminate a little bit of expected nerves leading up to the event.
“Afterwards, I’m able to look back and say, ‘Wow. That was an incredible day of BMX.’ I always breathe a little easier after it’s all over. The Olympics were no different and perhaps even amplified. It was such an amazing show.”
The BMX freestyle bike rider, who now calls Chicago home, started competing professionally and getting sponsorships at the age of 19. Over the years, he’s competed in various televised X Games events and had medal finishes in BMX Street with bronze in 2010 and silver in 2011. He’s also been featured on the cover of Ride BMX magazine and had interviews in ESPN The Magazine.
Kachinsky started judging Olympic qualifier events around the world about four years ago. For the past 20 years, he’s judged other large BMX events across the globe.
At this year’s Olympics, Kachinsky served as a judge for both the men’s and women’s BMX Freestyle Park events July 31 and Aug. 1. Currently, “Park” is the only BMX freestyle discipline featured in the Olympic Games.
The “Park” course, as Kachinsky describes it, “is a set area of ramps, box jumps, spines, quarter pipes, hips, walls and more, scattered around a given area. These ramps/obstacles are all strategically placed so that they all flow together and can be used in a 60-second run without stopping.”
As someone who has judged BMX events in the past, Kachinsky noted similarities and differences between the Olympic competitions this year and others he’s been involved with in the past.
“What was different about the Olympic Games compared to previous competitions were the obvious high stakes, the anticipation, the extensive COVID precautions/measures and a brand-new, different course for the riders to display their skills,” Kachinsky said. “Courses change at every single event, but this one was very grand and required us to carefully inspect in order to judge accurately.”
In between events there was some downtime, but sightseeing and exploration weren’t on the table this year because of the COVID-19 restrictions. During events, everyone was required to stay in their assigned venue area, Kachinsky said. The rest of the time, they were confined to their hotels.
Kachinsky arrived back in Chicago last Tuesday night, grateful for the experience at the Olympic Games.
“I’ve been to Tokyo once before and it’s one of my favorite cities in the world. I’ve traveled to over 45 countries riding BMX and Japan is one of the most advanced, respectful, cleanly places I’ve ever been,” Kachinsky said.
Kachinsky is always encouraging anyone with an interest in learning more about BMX to reach out to him on social media or approach him at an event.
“I love to share this world of BMX,” Kachinsky said. “I’ve been around the world and back again, but it seems like yesterday that I was just a kid pedaling my bike around Neenah, Wisconsin. Just like 13-year-old Brian, I’m excited to see where that bike will take me next.”
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