SEDLCANY, CZECH REPUBLIC—Michael Beran is an European Freestyle Pro BMX Champion and runner-up in the Freestyle Pro BMX World Championship. He is also a multi-time Czech National Champion of freestyle BMX sport. He recently became a Seventh-day Adventist Christian.
Michael uses his new faith as an opportunity to reach people for Jesus. Michael’s testimony:
Testimony
Michael grew up with two parents like many boys in the Czech Republic. He wasn’t fond of school due to some bullying and being told that he was useless because of his poor performace in school. His grades were meager throughout middle school and he developed a lot of anxiety, playing video games to take his mind off of life.
During middle school, he tried many sports and didn’t excel at anything. He developed an interest in motocross (in my biased opinion one of the most noble outdoor sports), but his parents nixed that idea on the premise that it was too expensive and too dangerous. So Michael changed his tactic and decided to try BMX. His parents agreed on the condition that he improve his grades in school. He did, in three months time and was rewarded with a BMX bicycle. It was heavy, clunky and slow, but he was overjoyed with it and spent a lot of time riding.
His parents saw that he was really enjoying his bike; his father saw that he was getting really skillful with it. So they allowed him to develop his skills at a newly opened indoor skatepark in a hangar at the Hradec Kralove airport. Michael and his father would go there together— with Michael riding and dad watching him. Michael would ride until he was shaking, sometimes barely able to walk home. In his own words,
One night I walked home just wet as a dog. Quite often I was just completely shaking, I didn't even make it to the door. Although she was very supportive of my new hobby, my mom (Dana) was completely unhappy that I seemed to be destroying myself like this. But it gave me a lot physically. I know that I was tired, but spiritually it was very, very good for me. My dad, as a responsible coach, said OK, well, if you're serious like that, let's do it.
Mom always provided for the whole household, and we took it for granted, as always. So I would like to thank those parents here, those beautiful ones, for that, for standing by me and for not giving up on me. And what does the Bible say about it? What does our Word of God say about it? How should we approach our parents? Do we honor our father and mother?— that we may live long on the land that the Lord your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12).
Eventually Michael asked Red Bull to sponsor him. They listened to his request and said “We will give you a helmet. But you have to win some National races before we do any more.”
Right before his first international race, he hurt his knee and told his father, I can’t go. His father said “No, you have to go. It will be fine. Go, don't worry about it.”
I was filled with those old negative thoughts that used to control me as a child. I said, “How can I not be afraid of it? Because I can't step, I can't walk.”
Dad said “Go and do your best, son.”
Funny, I couldn't walk at home, but when I got on my bike in Tokyo, I could ride there. This was a special lesson for me. And I, said to myself at that moment, “You just have to go and you can't take your foot off the pedal.”
Well, thanks to the fact that I didn't take my foot off, I didn't make any mistakes because I tried to hold on as much as I could in that event. Just like that, I won my first international race. Yeah, I found out in Tokyo that I'm pretty good at it [BMX]. I mean, I feel really good that I should continue doing it.
I started winning other races. Unreal.
I have to say that this experience was really incredible, indescribable, because at that time I already started to feel that what I was doing made sense, that I was in the place where I should be, that I finally had my destiny. I stopped doubting myself so much. Now that I could compete in the world, I could train in different places around the world.
So I went to America. I saw Washington DC, saw the White House, stood right next to it. Coming from my small village it was like something extra for me to be there. I even had dinner on the Eiffel Tower with the Red Bull people. And my favorite part of traveling was the sea. Yes, just the sea, the beach, the heat, what more could you ask for? And specifically I liked Florida—I really liked going there. Thanks to the fact that I was racing, I made friends in America and I could be there for free. Basically, what more could you ask for?
But as nice as everything was, of course it wasn't all that nice. It was challenging. And there were times when I doubted myself.
I got hurt during a hard fall at an International event. I picked myself up and overcame the obstacles, winning more events after I healed up. There was fame, and a lot of young boys that looked up to me. There were parties. Funny, at some of those parties a still small voice would say to me “That’s enough. You should leave.” And I would.
Of course, sometimes I seemed to slip up. I overdid it. It's like the temptation becomes ours. But as 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, most of our temptations are common. Due to my successes, I faced some that might not be ‘common’ for people.
“But God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tempted beyond your means, because in the midst of the trial He will give you a way out so that you can stand.
Sometimes you have regrets. Everyone in this room has them. And then we get angry with ourselves and sometimes that leads to depression. We have to get out of those pitfalls and learn from our mistakes. Recovering from an injury gave me time to reflect an learn from my mistakes.”
As I stand before you, I tell you that I thank the Lord God so terribly for His grace towards me that He simply did not give up on me and brought me here to you.
After the injury, I returned to racing. I did tricks that I just imagined in my head that I was going to do and I already had such a skill that it just came to me. I didn't even have to train straight away. I won the first race back in the Czech Republic. Then the second race was in Estonia. That was one of the biggest races, but I didn't win it. I was second by a few points, but I didn't mind because I won for myself.
Today, Michael is a BMX coach & fitness specialist.
In May, 2019, he married the girl of his dreams, Barbora.
On October 23, 2021, Michael and Barbora welcomed their first child, Izabelka.
Michael Beran recently became a Seventh-day Adventist and is living his new life in Christ since he was hungering for something better and more fulfilling.
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“Therefore . . . . let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).