Stunt riding, also known as BMX freestyle, got its start in the 1960s in California as youngsters began imitating their motocross idols, though its popularity peaked between 1980 and 1987, which led to the establishment of the American Freestyle Association (AFA) by Bob Morales in 1982.
However, a number of major corporations stopped investing in BMX freestyle as a result of the sport's loss of appeal in the early 1990s. But communities of newly formed rider-owned businesses and initiatives revived the sport by redefining BMX freestyle in accordance with their own requirements and preferences, opening the door for apparel and material companies to take a largely new lead in the sector.
The sport debuted at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) declared in June 2017 that the men's and women's BMX freestyle park would be included as an Olympic sport in 2020. There are five different disciplines in this BMX freestyle, which evolved from BMX racing: vert, park, flatland, street, and trail.
The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) later took over as the organization in charge of overseeing the Olympic sport of freestyle riding. The body was established in 1900 in Paris, with the founding members being the United States, Belgium, France, Italy, and Switzerland.
The Year-by-Year List of Olympic Medalists of Team USA in BMX Freestyle
Hannah Roberts, a five-time world champion in the UCI Urban Cycling World Championships, made Olympic history by being the first American to qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics in BMX freestyle.
Roberts was the first seed, with a score of 96.10; she had the highest score in the first round. She had to raise her score to 97.50 for her second run in order to win gold, but she stopped the run and accepted a silver medal due to a faulty landing.
American Perris Benegas, another BMX athlete, came pretty close to a bronze medal but finished in fourth place. In the Park men's, Justin Dowell and Nick Bruce finished in eighth and ninth place, respectively.
The British Charlotte Worthington took the gold medal, while the Swiss Nikita Ducarroz took the bronze. In the men's event, Logan Martin of Australia won the gold medal, followed by Daniel Dhers of Venezuela for silver and Declan Brooks of Britain for bronze.
| Year | Event | Name | Medal |
| 2020 Summer Olympics | Park, Women | Hannah Roberts | Silver |
Read More : List of Olympic Medalists of USA Team in Cycling Mountain Bike
FAQ's On Olympic Medalists in Cycling BMX Freestyle
A. Yes, BMX freestyle has been an Olympic sport since it made its debut at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
A. Yes, BMX freestyle is one of the 32 sports of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
A. A BMX freestyle run is scored from 0 to 100 points by the judges based on their "overall impression."
A. At the 2020 Summer Olympics, the gold medal went to Australian Logan Martin in the men's event, while British Charlotte Worthington won gold in the women's event.
A. At the Olympics, BMX riders go up to 60 km/h. They take off from a gate at the top of the eight-meter-tall start hill onto the 400-meter track.
