Day six of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games hosted the finals for the BMX Freestyle squad. The team returned to La Concorde as the ones to beat with all four athletes qualifying in the top four of their respective events.
Perris Benegas (Reno, Nev.; Haro BMX) was the sixth rider to drop and the first American to take the stage. Dropping in and immediately hitting huge air, Benegas’ first run earned her a score of 83.40. Knowing she’d need to top it to be on the podium, her second run included even more tricks. Hitting the big air bar spin, 360s, and a trick on almost every feature, the judges scored her with a 90.70 on her final run. This score solidly earned her a silver medal.
When asked about how she prepared for her Olympic medal run she said, “I usually go through my run in my head and its best run counts. My coach always says, “everything to gain, nothing to lose”, I just wanted to do a run I was stoked on, and I just told myself, you can do it, let’s go.” At the last Olympic Games, Benegas earned fourth, making this her first-ever Olympic medal. “I am speechless, it just hasn’t even set in yet,” continued Benegas.
As the top qualifier, Hannah Roberts (Buchanan, Mich.; Hyper BMX) was the last rider to drop. On both the first and second run, Roberts hit the ground. The judges ultimately gave her a 70.00, which placed her eighth overall.
“Today just wasn’t my day. I crashed in practice and had to shake that off, then I crashed in my first run. It was just a lot mentally. I put a lot of pressure on myself. There are a lot of things that can go wrong in a very short amount of time, and unfortunately, today just wasn’t my day,” said Roberts.
1. Yawen Deng (CHN)
2. Perris Benegas (USA)
3. Natalya Diehm (AUS)
8. Hannah Roberts (USA)
Justin Dowell (Virginia Beach, Va.; Hyper BMX) was the first American to drop. After hitting a flawless run that included his signature 360 Twix, Dowell wowed the judges with his unique first-round routine. Earning 88.35, he knew his second run would need to be perfect if he wanted to better his score. Starting his second round with a no-handed 540, Dowell hit a handful of unique variations but sat up without running the clock down after realizing he couldn’t better his first run. Dowell earned 54.60 on his second run, which earned him seventh overall.
Marcus Christopher (Canton, Ohio; DK Bicycles) was ready to put down his best ride in his first Olympic Games. After a difficult crash on his first run, everything came down to his final run. He dropped in and immediately the crowd started cheering. He utilized the entire course and got some extreme air that earned him a fourth-place finish and a score of 93.11, the best result Team USA has had in the history of Men’s BMX Freestyle.
When asked about his run he said, “I fell that first run and I was bummed. I fell on something I do every day not even thinking about it. That second run I was just trying to calm down and focus. It was sloppier than I wanted. I missed a trick and landed low a few times, but I put down a run I was happy about.” Christopher’s run was the best finish America has had on the Men’s side since the inception of BMX Freestyle at the Games.
1. Jose Torres (ARG)
2. Kieran Reilly (GBR)
3. Anthony Jeanjean (FRA)
4. Marcus Christopher (USA)
7. Justin Dowell (USA)
Racing continues tomorrow with the BMX Racing team competing in the quarter finals. The team is made up of Alise Willoughby (Saint Cloud, Minn.; Team Toyota/ Daylight Cycle Co.), Daleny Vaughn (Tucson, Ariz.; Biolab Sciences/ DK Bicycles), Felicia Stancil (Lake Villa, Ill.; Factory SSquared/Answer), Cameron Wood (Bozeman, Mont.; Mongoose/USA BMX Foundation), and Kamren Larsen (Bakersfield, Calif.; Factory SSquared/Answer).
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