OLYMPIAN’S TOUGHEST ST CHALLENGE
MESSAGES of support have poured in from all corners of the globe for Toowoomba’s Jared Graves, after the champion BMX rider’s recent brain tumour diagnosis.
CHAMPION Toowoomba mountain bike and BMX rider Jared Graves has been struck by a shock brain tumour diagnosis after returning home from competing in the Enduro World Series in Canada last month.
The former Olympian broke the news to his Instagram followers on Tuesday afternoon.
Thousands took to social media to offer messages of support to the 35-year-old, described by many as a legend of the cycling world.
“Some news of the not-soawesome variety. To cut a long story short, since getting back home from Whistler I suffered a couple of seizures, and woke up from one last Thursday morning to paramedics taking me off to hospital,” Mr Graves wrote on social media.
He said tests and scans showed he had a brain tumour.
“So for now more scans and doctors appointments and scans over the next week leading to surgery within the next approximately 10 days,” he wrote.
“The plan at the moment is to then start chemotherapy. Not sure what else to say for now, it’s all hit so fast... needless to say I won’t be at the last two EWS rounds this year as this new battle begins.”
The news has shocked the cycling world, with messages of support flooding social media from fans and fellow riders.
“Woke up to some unsettling news about a former teammate, and long time friend Jared Graves. Diagnosed with a brain tumour, and now in a different battle, I know this kid will fight with all he has! I’ve got the utmost respect for Jared, and I’ll be supporting him each step of his recovery! Get after it Grubby,” wrote Rich Houseman.
Graves’ original Instagram post already has more than 20,000 likes and 4000 comments from well-wishers.
The cyclist has represented Australia in BMX, four-cross, and downhill mountain biking.
He was selected to compete in the green and gold at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, where he finished sixth.
In 2014, he became the Enduro World Champion.