Five-year-old selected to represent Great Britain in BMX World Championships

Biking mad Oscar Booth is representing GB in the BMW World Championships – at the age of FIVE.

The youngster started cycling at just two-years-old when he got onto a balance bike – one without pedals – where youngsters use their feet to propel themselves.

And now Oscar is heading with his family to Heusden-Zolder in Belgium in July to compete with Team GB.

He secured his place after racing in four rounds of the British BMX Series and qualified in the category for children aged six and under.

Proud mum Vickie, from Standish, Wigan, Lancs., said: “He understands what he’s doing and knows he’s racing for Team GB. He’s really excited.

“He is waiting to get his Team GB top and is checking the post every day.”

Oscar has loved bikes since he was two years old when he went to the indoor BMX track at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester to start balance biking.

He competed in a balance biking competition – the Strider World Cup when he was three and four, before starting to do BMX sessions a few weeks after his fourth birthday.

Oscar joined Preston Pirates BMX Club and competed in his first BMX trial last year.

He has since competed in regional and national races around the country and is enjoying the sport.

Vickie, 38, said: “We are really proud of him. He was always quite shy when he was younger and it’s given him a lot of confidence.

“He really works hard at it as well. He loves it and really enjoys it. He has made so many friends from doing it.”

Oscar wears a lot of protective gear when racing, including body armour, gloves and a helmet, and fortunately has not been injured.

Oscar is not the only member of the family to enjoy getting in the saddle — his three-year-old brother Noah is following in his tracks and dad Matt, 40, who enjoyed road cycling, has taken up BMX racing too.

Vickie said: “We do it as a family. My younger boy does balance bike racing and Oscar does his race and my husband races in the older age category. It’s for all of us.”