Dave Mirra Biography

1974-

American BMX rider

American Dave Mirra is a dominant BMX freestyle rider who won a number of extreme sports competitions, winning at least thirteen medals at the X Games, the most of anybody in his sport to date. Nicknamed "Miracle Boy," Mirra has suffered a number of injuries but continues to ride.

Mirra was born April 4, 1974, in Syracuse, New York, and grew up in Chittenango, New York, outside the city. His father was a VCR and television repairman, while his mother was a surgical technician. Mirra began riding a bike when he was four. After witnessing his first BMX freestyle demonstration when he was ten, he began using his own bike to do tricks, turns, and flips in the air, often off a ramp.

Mirra soon became obsessed with the sport, and did not pay attention in school. Many kids were doing BMX

Dave Mirra

at the time, making it a popular, if underground, phenomenon. Mirra told Kevin Gray of the Morning Call, "It became an addition. I didn't really choose stunt riding. It was just what I did." Mirra would show up at a local bike shop's ramp and do tricks other kids could not do. Lance Stonecipher, the co-owner of Bike Loft told Laura Lee of New York Times, "He came in here and could do all of these tricks that kids were seeing on video and magazines. Everybody was like, 'Who is this kid?"

CONTACT INFORMATION

Online: http://www.expn.com/bmx/mirra.