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AAP
AAP
Ian Chadband

From a land down under, Diehm is glowing up to the top

BMX star Natalya Diehm hopes to be an inspiration to young bike riders throughout Australia. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)

Olympic BMX freestyle medallist Natalya Diehm has glowed in the Olympic spotlight after getting her mum to help inspire her with nightly renditions of an old favourite.

Tamara Diehm told AAP how they were both convinced Natalya's time had arrived  in Paris after years of injury woes and funding hardship, with mum enjoying the  ritual at the end of every day of preparation by singing their theme tune, 'Down Under'.

It appeared the old Men At Work ditty about a land where 'women glow' really did the trick as Diehm then went on to pull out all the tricks on Wednesday and win Australia's first women's BMX freestyle medal that she hopes will inspire a new generation.   

Diehm medals
Natalya Diehm soars during her medal-winning performance at La Concorde. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)

Talking of the soundtrack to her daughter's finest performance, Tamara explained: "There were a lot of times she was going to give up. She's been in a long battle of injuries.

"She's had five ACL ruptures in a few years and there's been three or four operations but we knew there was something different about this time, we all could feel she was going to get to the podium.

"Everything about it was different. The words that she was using, they were inspirational. She believed in herself, and we got there.

"I knew it was the day. She had sent me a song all week, every night before I went to bed, and said, 'You manifest this song, Mum'. 

It was 'We come from a land Down Under' and every night before I went to bed, I played that song. And I played that song when I woke up this morning - and I knew she was going to hit that podium."

The family joy was obvious as the pair of them broke into the song together after the medal ceremony while on the phone to Natalya's dad Justin back home.

The 26-year-old Queenslander landed her medal in a spectacular competition in a wonderful Parisian location, soaring adjacent to the famous Luxor Obelisk in the Place de la Concorde. It looked like a sport that's flying high.

"It's gonna be big, it's gonna grow enormously," Diehm said.

"And I'm hoping that we'll get some funding and continue to grow the sport in Australia to inspire the kids that dreams can come true. I think this is really going to do that."

Diehm says she's delighted to have not quit when she "couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel" after a catalogue of broken bones.

"I actually took on a part-time role as a coach with AusCycling but then it started to get hard when I knew I wanted to get back on the bike. 

"Something had to give, and my love and my passion for riding was just so overriding that I put the coaching on the back burner for now.

"It's hard to imagine a day not riding or competing. What's after, whenever that day comes, maybe it will be coaching. I love to inspire young kids and teach them.

"I love that women are growing in sports, and I love the opportunities that we're starting to get."

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