Nigel Sylvester is an American professional BMX athlete, creative, entrepreneur, filmmaker, and philanthropist from Queens, New York. Nigel’s career has extended beyond traditional BMX biking through his progressive riding style, innovative content creation and one-of-a-kind artistic expression and style. These distinctive characteristics have catapulted Sylvester to the forefront of the sports world.
A son of Grenadian parents, Nigel grew up in a hard-working household that created their own opportunities. At the age of 14, Nigel began to develop and envision how he could break into the BMX industry on his own terms. Quickly, he caught the attention of the late BMX legend Dave Mirra and signed his first professional contract at 18 years old with his company, MirraCo.
Nigel has made a career of defying the odds. He doesn’t compete in traditional contests or conform to the preconceived norms associated with the BMX industry. Nigel’s unprecedented rise led him to achieve many notable firsts as a BMX athlete and has attracted the attention of audiences around the globe, mainstream press, major global brands, and other best-in-class athletes, creatives and entrepreneurs.
Nigel was featured in ESPN’s ‘Body Issue’ and honored by Forbes ‘30 Under 30’ list. Additionally, he has designed and released a number of sneakers with the Nike and Air Jordan brands. His signature Air Jordan 1 is arguably the best AJ1 of 2018, as cited by sneaker enthusiasts around the world. In 2021, Nigel became the first- ever Professional BMX Athlete signed to Jordan Brand.
One of Sylvester’s most successful film projects is his adventure travel film series, ‘GO’, which gives viewers a first-hand point-of-view of his rides through some of the world’s most recognizable cities. With over 90 million views, the GO series captures the essence, vibe and heartbeat of each head-lining city through the lens of Nigel’s life.
Nigel’s drive to give back to communities around him has led him to start the Nigel Sylvester Foundation in July of 2021. The foundation is dedicated to transforming the lives of underserved youth, uniting diverse communities and other charitable causes. It will support initiatives such as building after-school programs, bike donations and fundraising community bike rides.
Today, Nigel is one of the most recognized athletes around the world. He is known for his relentless drive, creative vision, and disruptive approach as he pushes the boundaries of sport and art.
