Sarah Walker admits she may have Googled to check exactly what honour she was being handed on King's Birthday Weekend.

She was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to BMX and sports governance.

Walker, who grew up in Kawerau, has been an internationally accomplished BMX rider and currently represents New Zealand as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Walker is a 12-time BMX World Championship medallist, including winning gold medals in 2007 and 2009. She competed at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, placing fourth, and at London 2012 where she won silver, becoming New Zealand’s first Olympic medallist in BMX racing.

She was appointed to the IOC Athletes’ Commission in 2016, and in 2022 was elected as the second vice-chair.

As chair of the IOC Steering Committee, she led the creation of the Athletes’ Rights and Responsibilities Declaration, that tackles the most relevant issues they face today, including integrity and clean sport, governance and communication, careers and marketing, safeguarding and competition.

As chair of the IOC AI Working Group, she has also led the creation of the Olympic AI Agenda. She became an Independent IOC member in 2024 as part of the governing body responsible for overseeing the Olympic Movement.

She has promoted sports in schools, organised community outreach programs, and worked

with policymakers to secure funding and resources for sports facilities, programmes, and events.

Walker has mentored many young BMX competitors to success at national and international

competition levels.

She is honoured to have been given such an accolade although a little surprised given much of her sports governance work has been happening quietly behind the scenes.

She is “stoked” that BMX is included in the acknowledgment.

“It’s very cool for BMX. It’s been such a massive part of my life for over 20 years, so for it to be BMX and sports governance, that’s very special.”

“I was reflecting on it. As an athlete you have goals you want to achieve and paths how to get there, and that is clear and straightforward. You don’t go out with the goal of getting an honour.

“It’s different in that sense and not something I’ve been working towards but am honoured to have. It’s about wrapping my head around it, what it actually means and what comes with it, the responsibility and expectation.”

Walker grew up wanting to be the best she could be in BMX and give 100 percent to doing that – the rest would take care of itself. She takes the same approach with sports governance.

Receiving such an honour is a hard secret to keep and the former Trident High School student admits telling her parents early, who were incredibly chuffed for her.

She has her brother to thank for getting her involved in BMX racing. He was given a BMX bike when he was young and regular trips to the Tauranga track to watch him ride evolved into her jumping on the bike. She was immediately hooked.

“I wouldn’t have had the career I had without my brother. I am very grateful for him.”
She still misses riding but is glad she finished riding competitively while still loving the sport.

“I wanted to go through to the Tokyo Olympics, but it wasn’t just about that, it was about riding my bike and still having fun while doing it.

“So, when I missed Tokyo, the next day I went and rode my bike in Rotorua for fun and I was like, ‘that’s awesome’.

“I didn’t spend the last five years from Rio to Tokyo with one thing in mind. It was really because I loved doing it and enjoyed doing it, and to be able to go out like that was pretty damn cool.”

Career wise, Walker is stoked with what she achieved.

“I had some really cool results. The fact I got to take something I did as a hobby and turn into my job and have those experiences travelling the world is amazing.

“My Kawerau self would never have dreamed of how my life has gone. Little eight-year-old me seeing Danyon Loader winning gold did make me want to be an Olympian, but I didn’t dream the rest of it, and it’s just been amazing.”

In 2005, BMX was announced as a sport in the 2008 Olympics, and it was then Walker decided it was something she could do.

“I was at the world champs when I found out, competing in age group races. I was less than a year away from committing to a different sport to become an Olympian, and then the sport I loved and wanted to excel in became an Olympic one and provided that pathway.”

Track cycling was the sport Walker had planned to look at cracking back then. She loved volleyball, but it wasn’t an Olympic sport in New Zealand.
“I may not have been good enough, but I fortunately never had to figure it out.”

Nowadays, her IOC work is keeping her busy and Walker’s proud of the movements she’s been part of in that field.

“The impact you can have is global. I am loving it. I helped spot these up-and-coming Senegalese athletes and provide them with an opportunity they may not have had otherwise.”

She balances this role with another key role – being a mum.

She is also a keen gamer and her winning efforts in GT5 and GT7 in New Zealand, which were held for charity via simulator, have seen her appear as a guest driver in the likes of the Otago Rally.