Connor Fields

The first American to win an Olympic BMX gold medal. That achievement alone carries all the weight in the world, but it’s the sweat, suffering, and hard work in the years leading up that created that moment. “It all started when my mom found a [BMX racing] flyer at a local bike shop.” The next week, at his first race, seven-year-old Connor was hooked. From that point on, his only goal was to be a pro-BMXer. By 16, he earned his first (of three) USABMX National Age Group Title, turned pro when he was 18, and began racking up the wins. Connor is the two-time USA BMX #1 Pro, a two-time UCI BMX World Cup series champion has eight World Cup wins, and been a member of Team USA for nine of the last ten years. But none of that compares to the Olympics… It’s been Connor’s life-long goal since he watched the first BMX Olympic event on TV in 2008. Afterward, he wrote “And 1 day, be Olympic Champion” in permanent ink on the wall of his parent’s garage…and the quest began. Four years later, Connor came into the 2012 Olympic Games as the youngest in the competition. He was overwhelmed, naive, and got second to last. Connor is the first to admit that he choked: “Over the next four years, I had to deal with what happened and figure out how to get it right the next time.” Above everything, Connor credits staying committed to believing in himself. He returned in 2016 and, well, you know how it turned out… These days, Connor is preparing for his third Olympic Games with all the mental and physical training that he’s known for. While the Olympics may dominate Connor’s focus, he does manage to split his time elsewhere: He’s a part-time student at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, actively involved with St. Jude’s Children’s research hospital and Make a Wish Foundation, and moonlights as a motivational speaker, too. Connor’s story is truly inspiring and Monster is happy to be on board for the next chapter…