Should either of the Sakakibara siblings, Saya and Kai, find themselves atop a podium at the Tokyo Olympic Games, Australia should be doubly thankful. They could just as easily have been competing for the host nation.

Or Great Britain, for that matter. Such was the dilemma for the rising BMX stars, whose childhoods spanned Australia, then Japan, while their English father added a third option once their talents became apparent.

Pedal power: Kai and Saya Sakakibara will represent Australia at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. Credit:Janie Barrett

They will both compete in the opening stage of the 2019 BMXA BAD BOY National Series at Sydney BMX Club (Olympic Park) from Saturday and that's just the start of a demanding season that could propel them towards being one of the nation's better medal prospects in Tokyo.

Already, Saya is ranked two in the world after moving up into the elite ranks of the sport following a dominant junior career that saw her sweep to five world titles. Now 19, she aims to build on her first full year of professional racing and is ust starting to scratch the surface of her talents with Tokyo less than 18 months away.