Beyond cycling SAMMIE’S JOURNEY BACK TO HEALTH

Life changes course as the champion faces her toughest personal challenge

- Rebekah Hebenton

As the first New Zealander to ever win a cross-country mountain bike world series, Sammie Maxwell should be on top of the world.

But behind the podium finishes and Champagne showers, the 24-year-old was battling against her brain as she fought to manage the eating disorder she has struggled with since her teen years.

So in January, she chose to put herself above cycling and take the year off to focus on treatment.

“Every time I spend time away from the sport, it reaffirms how much I genuinely love the process,” says the Taupō local. “I’m not ashamed of my eating disorder or the struggles I’ve had. I’ve made so much progress in the past few years. I wish I’d found the courage to seek therapy sooner, but I can’t change that.”

It’s not the first time Sammie has had to take a step back, although on this occasion, it’s entirely on her terms.

Four months before the 2024 Paris Olympics, Cycling New Zealand expressed concerns about Sammie’s health. She was suffering from a range of issues related to disordered eating, including poor reproductive health, low bone density and unregulated hormones.