In Tokyo, BMX Freestyle makes its long-awaited Olympic debut, complete with tricks, flips, and disconnects.
BMX Freestyle Park Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
After making its Olympic debut in Beijing 13 years ago, the off-road cycling discipline of BMX freestyle has joined the family. Both fields move quickly and furiously, but their approaches are very different.
This brand new sport is very Mesmerising to watch:
Freestyle riders have one minute to wreak havoc across an obstacle course. They use every trick in the book and are judged on an average of 11 different criteria. Each rider has two chances to compete in the final, and the winner is determined by their combined score. Intriguing to watch are the frenzied front and back flips.
The United States is the birthplace of BMX freestyle, and one of its forefathers, Bob Haro, was a stunt driver in the E.T. film by Steven Spielberg. The UCI, the international governing organisation for cycling, officially recognised the sport in 2016, and the first world championships were held in 2017.
Australia’s Logan Martin, the first ever men’s world champion, will enter the Tokyo Olympics as the overwhelming favourite after reclaiming his title in France just last month.
He has a terrifying front flip when he completely detaches from his bike, defying the laws of gravity. However, American former X Games gold medalist Daniel Sandoval presents formidable opposition.
Hannah Roberts, a 19-year-old from South Bend, Indiana, has dominated the women’s competition since 2017, winning three of the four world titles. Charlotte Worthington of Great Britain, who placed third in the championships this past June, is also in the running for a medal.
If you want to win a BMX race, you need to focus solely on crossing the finish line before your competitors. Cyclists on a 400-meter dirt track have to work hard to stay upright and avoid the route’s many potholes.
Most races last less than 40 seconds, and the Courses are Quite flat.
There is a single-race final after the riders compete in a series of elimination rounds.
It is more difficult to gauge the form of the top riders with the cancellation of the 2020 BMX racing world championships and the late August 2021 date for the 2021 edition.
Alise Willoughby (née Post), an American who took silver in the 2016 Olympics and is still the world champion to this day, won the event.
The 30-year-old will ride with extra incentive because her Australian husband, Sam, was supposed to join her in Tokyo to avenge a dismal finish at the 2016 Games, but he suffered a career-ending injury a few months after Rio.
He is still using a Wheelchair but has taken up the Role of Coach for Willoughby.
Mariana Paj’ón of Colombia, who has won two gold medals at the Olympics and is therefore known as the “Queen of BMX,” will be her main rival.
Connor Fields, an American, will compete in the men’s division, where he hopes to repeat his gold medal performance from 2016. However, the Dutch combo of Niek Kimmann and Twan van Gendt, as well as the Frenchman Sylvain André, will present a formidable challenge to the 28-year-old.
The Ariake Urban Sports Park in the heart of Tokyo will host competitions for both events. Given that much freestyle BMX done by amateurs takes place in skate parks, it only seems sense that the Olympics would include both freestyle BMX and skateboarding.
