seven years after "everything we knew changed"America’s most decorated female BMX racer will attempt to reclaim her spot on top and rack up enough points to qualify for Paris 2024
She'll be doing it alongside her husband who suffered a devastating training accident that left him paralyzed in 2016
A three-time Olympian and two-time world champion
Willoughby holds more world medals than any woman in BMX racing history
and she’s vying to grow that collection at the 2023 UCI BMX Racing World Cup
Here’s a look into what’s coming up for Willoughby, as well as her journey to greatness and the devastating accident that changed the trajectory of her and her husband’s lives forever.
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It’s an ultra-competitive year for the women of BMX racing
as the biggest names line up for 10 rounds of action over five months in hopes of being crowned with the World Cup title
offers riders an opportunity to earn points for their NOCs in the UCI BMX Racing Olympic rankings
which count towards individual Paris 2024 qualification
Just 24 riders per gender will represent their countries next summer in Paris
runner-up in the overall standings at the 2022 World Cup and 2022 World Championships
ExclusiveIs It Possible to Race a Perfect BMX Lap?The series that examines the next step in a sport’s evolution asks if BMX athletes can ever race a perfect lap...
Born into a family with BMX–obsessed older brothers and a father who runs a track, Willoughby - formerly Post - was a state champion gymnast and pole vaulter before solely committing to the sport that she now holds two world titles in.
In her very first race she looked down the starting hill and the butterflies in her stomach began to grow — the nerves got the better of her and she totally chickened out.
At that time, she was six years old and went home full of enthusiasm, determined to ensure that moment would never be repeated.
She quickly excelled and became a trailblazer in the sport, being named the first-ever female Rookie Pro of the Year by BMXer Magazine, and the youngest person to win the American Bike Association national title, at just 15 years old — the same year she turned pro.
She spent much of her younger years racing against ‘the boys’ and learning what it meant to be a girl in a male-dominated sport first-hand.
Missing the minimum age cutoff (19) for BMX racing’s inaugural Olympics in 2008, Willoughby worked tirelessly to put herself in the best position for the next time the Games rolled around.
She went on to compete in the London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics, winning a silver medal in Rio as well as two World Championship golds.
“7 years since our lives took a sharp turn…in an instant, everything we knew changed,” Willoughby recently wrote on her Instagram.
She was referring to a career-ending training crash her husband, Sam Willoughby, suffered on 10 September 2016.
Within the span of one month, the Australian two-time BMX world champion and Olympic silver medallist went from a medal contender at Rio 2016 to being paralyzed from the chest down at just 25 years old.
He had run the same track 700 times before, but it was a freak accident at the Olympic training center in Chula Vista, California that changed the lives of the engaged couple forever.
Willoughby, then named Post, was at home in Minnesota about to throw the first pitch for the Minnesota Twins, an MLB team, when she heard the news.
Lying on the hospital bed, Sam recalled telling his fiancé, “You’re not marrying a vegetable.”
Alise's reply was resolute. “You’re not a vegetable and the hell I’m not marrying you. You’re stuck with me.”
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alise (Post) Willoughby OLY (@alisepost11)
The pair first met at the 2008 world championships, as they swapped their Team USA and Australia jerseys and MySpace messages.
“I always had a crush on Alise, I would write her almost like a fan. She didn’t reply that often, but I got a few replies,” he told NBC.
He had first set eyes on her watching VHS tapes of her race, sitting at home in Adelaide as a kid analysing her races to improve his own game.
At 17 years old, Sam decided to continue his professional BMX career by moving from Australia to California at the end of 2008, where he would move in with his teenage crush and her parent.
The pair trained and travelled to compete together and both qualified for the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics, with Sam winning silver in the former and Alise a medal of the same color in the latter.
Since the accident, the couple's relationship has continued to grow, and Sam is now Alise’s coach and number one fan.
He worked tirelessly to defy his limitations and walk her down the aisle when the Olympic power couple wed in 2017, just over one year after the accident.
Now, six years later, they remain one of the strongest teams in sport as Alise aims to qualify for her fourth Olympic Games with Sam still "stuck" firmly by her side.
It was an accident that changed their lives, their relationship forever. A BMX training crash that paralysed the two-time World Champion and Olympic silver medallist Sam Willoughby in 2016.
His partner Alise Post also had Olympic silver to her name, but "struggled with going back into the sport" as she helped Sam through the dark times.
Walking her down the aisle became his inspiration.
Now married, the roles have reversed. Sam is using his love of competition as a drive in helping his wife as her coach.
The couple shared their emotional story with Olympic Channel at the start the new BMX Supercross World Cup season.
Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner's French wedding comes after their surprise Vegas wedding in May, which was documented by Diplo on Instagram
the two are having quite the time gallivanting around France
They were first spotted in Paris outside Hôtel Costes
Both Turner and Jonas posted the same City of Light selfie
which showed the two about to lock lips in front of the Eiffel Tower
Priyanka Chopra commented with the fire emoji
Speaking of the other Jo-Bro power couple, they were also having some fun in Paris. The foursome enjoyed a champagne cruise on the Seine
as well as a double-date night on the town
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the group was on the move: Turner’s Instagram Stories showed a picture of Jonas enjoying a bath with views of the French countryside
And today, a new location was confirmed: Château de Tourreau in Sarrians
Jonas and company being served what seems to be Aperol Spritzes upon arrival to this grand Provence property
it makes quite the show-stopping impression with its mint green shutters
It’s quite possible that this historic home will be the lavish reception site of their nuptials—which celebrities like Maisie Williams and Jonas's famous brothers are expected to attend. But who knows, maybe they’ll be spotted at a new place tomorrow.
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After a small, low-key, surprise wedding in Las Vegas
Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas have officially celebrated their marriage with all of their friends and family in a glamorous French ceremony
The Game of Thrones star and her musician husband opted to tie the knot a second time at a chateau in France, after a full week of celebrations in both Paris and Provence.
Their second ceremony took place on Saturday, June 29, at Le Chateau de Tourreau in Sarrians, France, a lavish estate with a tennis court, pool and a winery.
Early paparazzi photos of the couple suggest Turner’s wedding dress featured puff-sleeves and a full skirt, while she carried a bouquet of white flowers and wore a floor-length veil. She kept her hair down in loose waves.
Meanwhile, the groom was photographed with his groomsmen (including brothers Nick, Kevin and Franklin) wearing a black tuxedo with matching black shirt. According to photos, Jonas had a total of eight groomsmen.
The bridal party kept cool with hand-held mini fans amid record-high temperatures in France, while the couple’s dog, Porky Basquiat, wore a tux and joined the groomsmen.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jonas Brothers Fan ⚡️ (@joejonasteam)
While photos of the couple’s families
including a pink-sari clad Priyanka Chopra
clear snaps of Turner and her maid of honour
Williams shared a snap from the pre-ceremony dinner to her Instagram account of her and her boyfriend
with the caption: “white party for the bride and groom.”
the man who live-streamed the couple’s Las Vegas wedding
joked on Instagram that he had his phone confiscated before the ceremony
writing: “This is the only photo I got from Joe and Sophie Turner Jonas wedding because they took my phone from me and put in a holding cell during the ceremony
Other celebrity guests included Ashley Graham and her husband
who were snapped attending the couple’s rehearsal dinner
while Turner and Jonas matched in all-red ensembles
Scroll down to see photos from the couple’s rehearsal dinner
Maisie Williams and boyfriend Reuben Selby at the rehearsal dinner
Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas at a pre-wedding event
Wedding guest Ryan Tedder shared this photo with the caption: “Was honored/stoked to be at an unbelievably beautiful wedding this weekend in France that exceeded anything I’ve ever seen
I was unfortunately under the weather and didn’t get to hang for the long haul- no pics allowed but this happened 2 hours before the ceremony some miles away and seems à propos for how I felt ;)
XO bride and groom – u were STUNNING
Kevin and Danielle Jonas head to the rehearsal dinner
Sophie Turner heads to her rehearsal dinner in a red dress
Priyanka Chopra makes her way to Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas’ wedding rehearsal dinner
New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship athlete Saya Sakakibara has taken the overall lead in the UCI BMX Racing World Cup standings after posting her second win of the 2023 season in France
After Round 5 on Saturday was cancelled due to extreme wind conditions
riders were greeted with much finer weather at the Sarrians track for Round 6 on Sunday
In her first competitive outing since finishing fourth at the World Championships in Glasgow
Sakakibara looked dominant on her way to the final
winning each of her preliminary races and taking gate two for the decider
the Southlake-Illawarra rider put together a strong start on the tight track
and from there it essentially became a two-horse race against 2023 European Champion Zoe Claessens of Switzerland
Sakakibara was able to hold the advantage heading into each turn
positioning herself for the better racing line and making it difficult to be overtaken
posting the fastest Elite Women’s time for the weekend with 33.890 seconds
The Netherlands Merel Smulders took the remaining place on the podium in third.In a post-race interview
Sakakibara emphasised how important a strong start is at Sarrians
“This first straight is so short that [a good start] is absolutely key
and I knew that the inside was going to be the biggest advantage
And I was quite confident on my hill and my start
“In the semi-final my legs were burning and almost cramping
and I was really worried that Zoe’s really good on this track
so I was really worried that she was going to catch me
The 24-year-old also revealed how training at the track with her partner and current world champion Romain Mahieu had contributed to the win
and it is really important to be precise and making sure we get the down ramps well
and I think that because I spend six months here
it’s so special that I can win on this track
the way you guys just roared for [French rider Axelle Etienne]
After her win at Papendal in June
Sakakibara moves into first in the World Cup standings on 1845 points ahead of Great Britain’s Bethany Shriever (1738 points) and Alise Willoughby of the USA (1566 points)
Lauren Reynolds was in contention in her Elite Women’s quarter final but became caught up in traffic on the third turn to finish fifth
while Matt Krasevskis was the best performing Aussie in the Elite Men
Jesse Asmus was unlucky to miss out on the Under 23 Men’s final
the Queenslander was well back in the early stages of his semi-final
but a blistering third straight rocketed him back into contention on the final corner
only to fall short of a place in the decider with a fifth-place finish
The UCI BMX Racing World Cup season concludes next month in Argentina
with rounds 7 through 10 taking place over two weekends at Santiago Del Estero
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“This weekend I had the honour of singing ‘You Are The Reason’ at the wedding of @joejonas & @sophiet and it was magical
Thank you both for allowing me to be part of such an incredibly special day,” the 30-year-old singer posted on his Instagram
along with a photo of his look that evening
❤ Huge thanks as always to @joshuakanebespoke for dressing me.”
In another fun fact about Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner‘s wedding, they actually took one celebrity’s cell phone away ahead of the ceremony
A post shared by Calum Scott (@calumscott) on Jul 1
Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner tied the knot (for the second time!) on Saturday at the Château de Tourreau in the southern French town of Sarrians
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Sophie and Joe took us inside their fairytale wedding by sharing never-before-seen pictures on social media.Sharing photos from his wedding album
Joe described his married life as "the best two years of his life."His second post unveiled more pictures from their celebration
One of the pictures showed Joe alongside brothers Kevin Jonas and Nick Jonas onstage
likely giving the guests a special Jonas Brothers performance
"2 Years Of Party Times."Sophie wore a stunning Louis Vuitton wedding gown while Joe picked a sharp black tuxedo for their special day
The 'Game of Thrones' alum also posted pictures from their dreamy wedding
The first photo was taken as the newlyweds walked down the aisle following their 2019 French wedding ceremony
"2 years as your wife holy moly I love you bub," Sophie captioned her post.In the star's second post
the 25-year-old offered an intimate glimpse into the luxurious affair
which was attended by Sophie's co-star Maisie Williams
as well as fellow J-sisters Priyanka Chopra and Danielle Jonas
Sophie also shared a picture of their massive white and gold wedding cake that was decorated with gold Cupids.The pair got engaged in October 2017
Sophie and Joe surprised their fans by getting married after the Billboard Awards in Las Vegas
News.They then had a second wedding on June 29
Sophie gave birth to their daughter Willa on July 22
While they've yet to introduce their baby girl to the spotlight
Sophie has shared images documenting her pregnancy over the past year
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North Harbour rider Rico Bearman has maintained his lead in the under-23 BMX World Series after the sixth round in France today
who won the first four rounds of the championship this year
had to settle for sixth place in the under-23 final in Sarrians
France after the fifth round was cancelled due to high winds on Saturday
The US-based professional remains well clear in the championship on 738 points from Frenchman Mateo Colsenet
“I couldn’t step on the podium this weekend
But I am happy to be heading into Argentina still holding the overall lead with the black plate in Under-23,” said Bearman
He won his qualifying race and followed with wins in the first two rounds
and the quarterfinal where he was second fastest of all winners
Bearman was pipped by 0.3s into second in the semifinal but did not get the best gate in the final and was unable to catch the leaders
Fellow North Harbour rider Michael Bias qualified in the elite men
and was second in his first round but was eliminated in the quarterfinal by just 0.04s in a race with one second covering all eight riders
Meanwhile Rotorua’s world championship bronze medallist
Megan Williams qualified in the under-23 women’s class
but was also eliminated in the quarterfinal
edged into fifth by 0.03s in another super-close race
Local French superstar Joris Daudet won the elite men’s final
while outstanding Australian Saya Sakakibara claimed the women’s elite final
Riders now prepare to head to Argentina for two weekends of double rounds to complete the championship season
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advertisement2/8The 23-year-old Game of Thrones star looked elegant in a white long lace dress with sleeves, while the 29-year-old Jonas Brothers singer chose a black tux for the ceremony.
3/8 The bride completed her look with a veil and light makeup.
4/8The wedding guests included Sophie's Game of Thrones co-star and best friend Maisie Williams, supermodel Ashley Graham-Justin Ervi. Jonas Brothers and their spouses Kevin Jonas-Danielle Jonas and Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra were very much in attendance. The bride and groom's parents looked happy during the ceremony.
advertisement5/8According to an entertainment portal, other guests included Diplo, Joe's band mates, Wilmer Valderrama and model Amanda Pacheco, personal development coach Mike Bayer, and Dr. Phil McGraw.
6/8Priyanka Chopra was seen in a lovely pink sari with husband Nick Jonas outside Château de Tourreau.
7/8After a series of pre-wedding celebrations including a pool party and a rehearsal dinner, Sophie and Joe finally said their vows on Saturday, June 29.
advertisement8/8The ceremony site was decorated with beautiful white flowers and glass candles
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Priyanka Chopra does love her saris—a fact she proved when she picked a soft pink pink drape by Sabyasachi for Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas’s wedding celebrations at Château de Torreau in Sarrians
Husband Nick Jonas meanwhile picked a classic tux for the occasion
Chopra rounded her outfit off with a pair of nude heels and diamond drop earrings
The ceremony was also attended by Madhu Chopra
Ashley Graham and Kevin Jonas and Danielle Deleasa Jonas
Priyanka Chopra’s latest look is bound to make it to your must-haves list
(John Cowpland/AAP PHOTOS)Australia's Saya Sakakibara has tapped into local knowledge of her French base to win the BMX world cup event in Sarrians
All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueSakakibara
on the path to Olympic redemption at next year's Paris Games
is based in the south of France and emerged victorious in a confidence-boosting display
banked her second win in six cup races this year
"It's so special that I could win on this track," Sakakibara said
I gained some of that energy and it's a pleasure to win here."
who beat Swiss rider Zoe Claessens and Merel Smulders of the Netherlands
knew the secret of Sarrians from her training: the fastest of starts
"This first straight is so short that it is absolute key," Sakakibara said
"And I knew that the inside is going to be the biggest advantage and I was quite confident on my hill in my start
"I knew that if I could get a good start and come across that inside line
"But in the semi-final my legs were burning
"I just left everything out there today and it feels really good."
was a medal favourite at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics
She was riding with added motivation for her brother Kai
who suffered a shocking BMX race injury in February 2020 and was in a coma for two months with severe brain trauma
the Australian crashed and was stretchered from the track
Sakakibara suffered concussion symptoms for months
admitting that her battles were as much mental as physical
It's a challenge," she told olympics.com last year
The final two rounds of the world cup will be held in Argentina on October 7-8 and October 13-14
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Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner are officially married..
The pair wed in a gorgeous ceremony in Sarrians in the South of France on Saturday (June 29,)
Guests at the ceremony included Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams
and Kevin Jonas and his wife Danielle Jonas
Sophie and their guests headed to a reception party at the Château de Tourreau
#TurnerIntoAJonas trended on Twitter prior to the ceremony
Joe and Sophie's French wedding follows a legal wedding ceremony the couple had in Las Vegas at A Little White Chapel following the 2019 Billboard Music Awards on May 1
#TurnerIntoaJonas trended on Twitter before the ceremony.\nRead More
Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner are officially married..
The pair wed in a gorgeous ceremony in Sarrians in the South of France on Saturday (June 29,)
Guests at the ceremony included Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams, Ashley Graham, Nick Jonas and his wife Priyanka Chopra, and Kevin Jonas and his wife Danielle Jonas, among others.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by S O P H I E T U R N E R (@sophiet)
Joe and Sophie's French wedding follows a legal wedding ceremony the couple had in Las Vegas at A Little White Chapel following the 2019 Billboard Music Awards on May 1
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Home » Celebs » It’s Official
Sophie Turner And Joe Jonas Have Married AGAIN In France
The Jonases (we can say that now!) were accompanied by Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra, who spent their holiday enjoying various destinations and just being super loved-up.
Catch Sophie and Joe looking *deeply* into each other’s eyes
A post shared by J O E J O N A S (@joejonas) on Jun 22
But wait there’s more—the second wedding was followed by even more festivities: a reception in the Château de Tourreau estate
I guess the party never stops for the GOT superstar and “Sucker” singer
The guests attending the event included fellow JoBros Nick and Kevin
and Soph’s bff and GOT sista Maisie Williams
we wouldn’t be opposed to a third wedding
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