Champion Charlotte Worthington knocked out in BMX freestyle qualifying

Charlotte Worthington was very upset when she chose to not continue defending her Olympic title in the women's BMX freestyle qualifiers. Her performance was not as energetic as usual, possibly due to the hot weather in central Paris.

Worthington, who won a gold medal in the Tokyo Games with a strong performance, did not do as well in the Olympic qualifying heats. He finished in 11th place out of 12 riders and did not make the cut for the top nine qualifiers for the final on Wednesday.

After facing mental health challenges following her performance in Tokyo, the 28-year-old athlete needed an hour to calm down after failing to qualify. When she finally spoke, near the bleachers, it was obvious that her feelings were still fresh.

"I am extremely happy with the progress I have made to reach this point," she expressed. "During the race, I only had to focus on overcoming my own struggles. There were two parts of the run where things didn't go as planned. This course really highlights any errors that are made. I made a mistake that caused me to lose speed and momentum. I was relying on my speed and skill during qualifying, but I made an error."

Today was tough. I struggled to complete the run, but I'm not giving up yet.

In early 2023, Worthington decided to take a break from competing so she could adjust to the challenges of being an Olympic champion. "I always aspired to compete in the Olympics again. Sports is all about aiming for dreams and achievements that may seem out of reach. I never thought I would be standing here today."

"When you realize you are not in contention for the top spot, you can ease the pressure on yourself and feel more present in the moment."

"It continues to be difficult, a constant up and down ride. Doubts and worries always linger in the back of your mind - 'What if I fail, how will others perceive me?' This inner struggle is something every athlete faces."

I am really disappointed that my competition has ended early. But being the only freestyle BMX Olympic champion for three years has been an amazing experience. It has been an incredible journey.

I will never be able to give up riding BMX. I will continue doing it as long as I am physically able. I have a passion for the sport and it has shaped me as a person, giving me so much in return.

In the preliminary rounds for the men's heats, Kieran Reilly, who is a world and European champion for Team GB, performed the best. He had the highest scores in both the first and second heats. Reilly, who is 22 years old and hails from Gateshead, will be competing in the final at Place de la Concorde on Wednesday afternoon.