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Sawyer Murphree, AKA “The Warrior,” has been selected to represent Team USA at the upcoming Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) BMX World Championships in Australia this July.
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Contender Sawyer Murphree with his parents, Adam and Sydney.
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A warrior’s spirit runs deep within a Cape Coral youth who is preparing to showcase his talents on a world stage.
Sawyer Murphree, who has been bestowed the moniker of “The Warrior,” has been selected to represent Team USA at the upcoming Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) BMX World Championships in Australia this July.
The 8-year-old hopes to be one of more than 3,000 riders from around the world that are expected to compete on the 400-meter Brisbane BMX Racing Track at the Sleeman Sports Complex. Four exciting days (July 22-25) of racing will bring together amateur riders from all over the world vying for glory in their respective age categories.
Sawyer said he’s excited for the prospect of heading to the land down under.
What he wants the most?
“A world plate,” Sawyer said.
So what is a world plate? It’s a plate he can display on his bike letting other riders know he is one of the top-ranked athletes in his sport world-wide.
Sawyer began his BMX journey at age 2 on a balance bike and transitioned to pedal bike racing by age 4. By 6, he advanced to the Expert class, where he continues to compete against the top riders in the country. He trains five days a week on and off the bike, developing strength, skill, and race strategy.
Over the past two seasons, Sawyer has traveled nationally to earn top rankings and compete at elite events and in 2026 he earned his spot on Team USA at a qualifying race held in Cape Coral.
“I’m so excited for this opportunity to compete with other riders from all over the world,” Sawyer said.
With the love of the sport ingrained at an early age, there are many aspects of riding BMX that Sawyer enjoys.
“I love the racing and all of the different places you can do and try racing,” he said. “I love meeting all of the different people and learning skills.”
He’s met other riders from all over the country, and said his best friend lives all the way out in Iowa.
The feeling at the starting gate is one that Sawyer relishes. As he prepares to set off on the track, he can feel the adrenaline start to build.
“I have a lot of energy for sure,” he said. “When I’m at the gate I think about winning.”
A Cape Coral native, Sawyer spends a lot of his time racing at Cape Coral BMX. He has also been riding at a track in Sarasota, which best emulates the track that he hopes to be riding on in Australia.
The races are fast-paced, as it takes Sawyer less than 50 seconds to get around the surface.
That blazing time has garnered impressive accolades for the young athlete. He was a USA BMX Nationals Main Event Qualifier in 2024 and 2025, and a featured rider of the 2026 USA BMX Sunshine State National.
Sawyer has held a top-20 national ranking each of the last two years, being ranked 8th in the country at age 6, and 9th in the country for age 7 in the cruiser division.
When asked how he feels to be one of the top-ranked riders in the country, Sawyer said, “Really proud. I work really hard every day.”
Sawyer’s mother, Sydney, said her son is on his bike nearly every day, and has combined training on his bike with work in the gym.
“We’re working on explosive movement, agility, a lot of strength,” she said. “You absolutely need endurance. The races are short, however, in this world, in the championship format, at a minimum he’ll end up racing five rounds. With this sport, the majority of the skill comes from the power and strength in your legs and your arms, so that’s what we’re working on a lot right now.”
Sydney said she and Sawyer’s father, Adam, couldn’t be more proud of the work that Sawyer has put in.
“II wish I could say I was I’m surprised, but I’m not, because I this is something Sawyer loves to do so much,” Sydney said. “He never once complains about training or working hard. Every day he wakes up and he says, ‘What’s what’s the plan for training?’ He’s excited to go and every time he’s in a training session. He gives it 110 % every single time.”
Sawyer had a correction: “I give 1,000%.”
Sydney continued, “I just think the level of dedication he shows at such a young age is just so impressive and I am impressed by him every day. Every time I see him in a race, there is never a question that he is giving it his all to fight, to win, to race hard.”
Complacency is also not in the cards for Sawyer. He’s always wanting to get better and improve, calling each skill acquired a “new learn.”
“He’s so excited to come home and tell me, ‘Hey, I unlocked a new learn today on the track,” Sydney said. “And that’s how you get better is that constant, want and strive to get better. Him displaying that at such a young age just bodes well for him for the rest of his life.”
While Sawyer has definitely tried different sports throughout his young life (with football being his second favorite to BMX), he and his bike just seemed to gel instantly. Of course riding a bike is just part of childhood, but there was something different with Sawyer.
“Once he learned, he was able to catch on quickly,” Sydney said. “We just kind of let him dictate stuff in the beginning. As much as he wanted to do it, we let him do it.”
It was a national race in Nashville that really opened Sydney’s and Adam’s eyes to his skill. Sawyer took fourth place on day one, and then finished first on days two and three.
“And I think that was it,” Sydney said. “We just went for fun because we had family in Nashville and I think we saw that, you know, hey, he’s actually competitive against kids in this sport. And like I said, as long as he wants to do it, we just want to be able to provide the opportunity as much as possible.
“His ability to learn and his coachability is what we saw in him. Being able to pick up technique as quickly as he did at such a young age I think really gave us that push to say, ‘Hey, we need we need to pursue this.’”
Taking part in such a big tournament doesn’t come without big expenses. Sydney has organized a GoFundMe to help raise funds for Sawyer to travel to Australia.
“My husband and I have done everything that we can up to this point to be able to offer him every opportunity possible to compete and to train,” Sydney said. “This is something that is possibly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him.
“It’s not just about the travel expenses. It’s about the level of preparation that goes into competing at this level. We’ve really ramped up the amount of training as far as the gym, coaching, traveling to get more race experience on different tracks, traveling to see other coaches. I would hate for something like money to be the reason that we can’t provide this opportunity, something that he worked so hard for, something that he earned.”
Funds are being raised to help cover international airfare, bike shipping and equipment costs, entry fees and race credentials, and training and preparation expenses. Every dollar raised will go directly to Sawyer getting to Australia.
The Warrior is ready to put on the red, white, and blue to represent his country in a big way.
As for the nickname… other than rhyming with Sawyer, it goes well beyond the surface.
“It’s the way he rides,” Sydney said. “He truly fights in every single race. He is not the biggest kid out there. He will never be the biggest kid out there. And sometimes that’s a disadvantage, but I truly feel like when he goes out there, he goes out to battle and he battles these kids like nobody else.”
Sawyer added, “I feel like a warrior when I’m on my bike.”
To donate to Sawyer’s trip to the world championships, visit gofundme.com.