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3 months ago
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Logan Martin's preparations for the Olympic Games have been rocked by a vicious smash and grab in Belgium.
Martin, who is defending the gold medal he won in the BMX freestyle in Tokyo, revealed that thieves targeted his team van on Tuesday night.
Video shared by Martin showed the passenger seat window had been smashed in order to get inside the vehicle. His wallet and gear was missing, while the team physiotherapists' massage table was gone.
With the use of bag tag tracking devices, Martin and the team were able to locate their belongings, which had been strewn across a local park.
'Our van got broken into last night. Luckily my bikes weren't in there, although my bike bags were in there with some things in it,' Martin said.
'What a crazy start to the trip.
'Thank god for bag tags.'
The 30-year-old will be supported by his wife Kimberley and their children Noah, 5, and Luna, 2, with his Tokyo triumph played out in front of an empty arena three years ago.
An Olympic champion's van was robbed by thieves in Belgium, it has been revealed
Logan Martin discovered his stolen items in a park in Belgium
Logan Martin is aiming to defend his gold medal in the BMX competition in Paris
'Noah definitely loves it, he loves going to competitions watching Dad on TV,' Kimberley told A Current Affair.
'He definitely loves to ride his bike and wants to be just like Logan.'
It has been far from a dream run up to Paris for Martin. Before the robbery in Belgium, he had lost out in the world championships in Budapest and has dealt with injury issues.
'Since Tokyo... that's been on the radar - you know - winning another Olympic gold medal,' he said.
'For me, it's the pinnacle of sport ... and if you can go out there and win an Olympic gold medal it's the biggest thing ever,' he said.
'And then if you go out there and back it up, it's even bigger.'
English (US)