Somewhere in the bushland that skirted his Newcastle family property, a skinny 12-year-old surveyed a rickety, home-made jump. This was the latest creation that he and his mates had devised, and it was his turn to be the test pilot. Committing 110% to the jump, the confessed “full BMX bandit” overshot the landing and his bike slammed into the flat earth. Arms buckling with the force of impact, his chin collapsed onto the handlebars, smashing his top teeth as they went through the bottom lip.
Meet Cam Ivory. Saying he’s no stranger to adversity is a slight understatement. Cam is one of the hardest working and quietly relentless athletes on the mountain bike circuit, and his pure love for racing has belittled the otherwise significant setbacks in his career. From national titles to the world stage, Cam’s achievements have recently set the bar for XC racing in Australia. As with any successful athlete, onlookers are inevitably tempted to focus on the tip of the iceberg – to spotlight results, envy lifestyles, or nitpick failures. But Cam’s story is hardly glamourous, and our ensuing conversation uncovered the grit and perseverance that underpins his journey.
Early years
After the little incident mentioned
