A heartbroken Charlotte Worthington exited her Olympic title defense in the women’s BMX freestyle qualifiers following a lackluster effort in the sweltering heat of central Paris.
The vibrant gold medalist from the Tokyo Games appeared as a mere shadow of her former self during the Olympic qualifying heats, finishing 11th out of 12 riders and falling short of the top nine qualifiers needed to advance to Wednesday’s final.
The 28-year-old, who has faced mental health challenges since her victory in Tokyo, took an hour to regain her composure after missing out on qualification. When she spoke later, beneath the stands, it was evident that her feelings were still deeply affected.
“I’m really proud of the journey to get here,” she expressed. “Up there, I wasn’t battling anyone else, just myself. There were two parts of my run that didn’t align. This course highlights mistakes. I made one, lost my speed, and stalled. I relied on my speed and height in qualifying—one mistake cost me.”
“Today was tough. I couldn’t quite put the run together, but it’s not the end of my journey.”
Earlier in 2023, Worthington took a break from competition to cope with the pressures of being an Olympic champion. “My personal goal has always been to be a two-time Olympian. Sports are about setting ambitious dreams and goals. I never thought I’d be in this position.”
“When you’re not contending for that top step, it relieves some pressure and allows you to be more present.”
“It’s still been a challenge; it’s always an emotional rollercoaster. You can’t help but wonder—‘What if this happens? What will people think?’ It’s a constant battle for every athlete.”
“I’m obviously crushed that my competition doesn’t continue. However, having spent three years as the only person in the world who could call myself the freestyle BMX Olympic champion has been incredibly rewarding. It’s been an amazing journey.”
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“I will undoubtedly continue riding BMX until I physically can’t anymore. I love this sport. It has shaped me as a person and given me everything.”
In the men’s heats, Team GB’s world and European champion, Kieran Reilly, topped the qualifiers with the highest scores in both the first and second heats. The 22-year-old from Gateshead will compete in the final at Place de la Concorde on Wednesday afternoon.
