Who is Perris Benegas? All about the Nevada native who won silver in BMX freestyle as underdog at Paris Olympics 2024

Perris Benegas is the American cyclist who has just stormed to silver at the Paris Olympics in the women's BMX freestyle. This made her the second woman from the country to claim an silver in the event at the Games.

Benegas made her Olympic debut in Tokyo, finishing just outside of the podium. Now, four years later, she’s earned her redemption after she scored a 90.70 in her second run to claim the medal she missed out on last time around.

In light of this stunning performance, here's everything you need to know about the American.

Perris Benegas’ hometown and personal life

Benegas was born on July 22, 1995 in Reno Nevada. She has an older brother named Tyler, and studied at the Edward C Reed High School. The cyclist came out as gay in May 2021 in a lengthy Instagram post, and is in a relationship with digital creator Mikaela Herres.

How did Perris Benegas discover cycling?

Benegas began cycling after she followed her older brother and his friends to the park in their hometown. While the newly crowned Olympic medalist was often the only girl in the group, she drew inspiration from her sibling to excel in the sport.

"I guess I just followed in his footsteps. Because he went from racing to freestyle, I jumped straight into freestyle and that's what I learned first. So I went to the skate park with them and they just taught me from there,” the cyclist was quoted as saying by the Paris Olympics website.

The story behind Perris Benegas’ name

Benegas has a unique name, one that has now become famous amongst enthusiasts of freestyle cycling, but she was originally going to be named something different. The American once revealed that her mother, an avid follower of the band Aerosmith, had intended to name her ‘Perry’ after the band's lead guitarist, but changed her mind after her aunt intervened.

"My mom is a big fan of the band Aerosmith. My brother is named Tyler after Steven Tyler. And then she wanted to name me Perry, but thank goodness my aunt stepped in and said, 'No way.' So, Perris it is,” she told Nevadasportsnet.com.

Perris Benegas’ cycling career

Even outside of her Paris Olympics silver, Benegas boasts an impressive resume when it comes to achievements in the world of freestyle cycling. In 2018, the American won gold at the UCI Urban Cycling World Championships in Chengdu, while compatriots Angie Marino and Hannah Roberts took silver and bronze respectively.

In 2019, she finished atop the podium at the Vans BMX Pro Cup stops in both Germany and Huntington Beach. A year later, she was named the Bloom BMX Freestyle Rider of the Year.