Preview: BMX Freestyle Paris 2024

For the second time BMX Freestyle will appear at the Olympic Games with 24 of the world's best competing at The Urban Park at Place de la Concorde in the heart of Paris.

Australia has the defending men’s champion ready to create an aerial masterpiece in a bid to win another gold.

Read on to learn all about BMX Freestyle at Paris 2024.

Key details

• Date: Tuesday, July 30 and Wednesday, July 31
• Times: 9:25pm Women / 11:11pm Men - July 30 (Qualification) and 9:10pm Women / 10:44pm Men - July 31 (Finals)
• Competitors: 12 women, 12 men
• Australians: Logan Martin, Natalya Diehm

How it works

Riders execute tricks on obstacles such as walls, box jumps and spines. They are given 60 seconds to perform acrobatic tricks and skills, with tricks scored on multiple aspects including difficulty, originality, execution height and difficulty.

Women’s contenders

Natalya Diehm has given herself every possible opportunity to step onto the podium in Paris. The Gold Coast athlete finished the Olympic Qualifier Series in sixth to secure her place at the Games,

After finishing fifth in Tokyo, the 26 year old has worked incredibly hard to overcome injuries to be on the box and battle for a podium.

Great Britain’s Charlotte Worthington will be defending her Olympic title from Tokyo, while it will also be the second Olympic Games for the USA’s Hannah Roberts and Nikita Ducarroz (SUI) who claimed the silver and bronze.

Men’s contenders

Logan Martin goes in as the defending champion in Paris after a history making moment three years earlier in Tokyo.

The Queenslander hasn’t had the best lead in to the Games after he crashed during the OQS (Olympic Qualifier Series) but with his consistency and big tricks he will be in podium contention.

Neither the silver or bronze medallist qualified to compete in Paris, but it is the Frenchman in Anthony Jeanjean who has been the centre of attention.

 With his recent wins at the Olympic Qualification Series in China and Hungary, he’s one of the top favourites for gold.

What they said:

Natalya Diehm competing in Budapest. Picture: Getty Images

Natalya Diehm

“I’m probably the fittest and strongest that I’ve ever been even in comparison to Tokyo. I’m feeling really confident with how my body is and really trust in the hard work that I’ve done.”

“Obviously everyone wants to get gold, everyone wants to be on the podium but I’m just focusing on my best performance and hopefully the judges will see that and reward that. I think I definitely have the potential to get a podium spot. I’ve been working really hard and working on my tricks, and if everything goes to plan I think I could be stepping on that podium.

Logan Martin will aim to defend his Olympic title in Paris. Picture: Getty Images

Logan Martin

I’ve had to learn new tricks, I’ve kept them off social media and I’ve been doing them most sessions for the past year. So, I do have some tricks ready to go, and if it all goes to plan in Paris, my best finals run will have some new tricks in that run.”

“I don’t think about who can do well, I just try and focus on my best performance. I know that if I can go out there and do my best run its going to be really hard to beat. If I can go out there and do my best run it will top the field.”

How to watch

You’ll be able to watch the Olympic Games BMX Freestyle live and free on the Nine Network or 9Now.

Competition for qualification is on Tuesday night and finals start on Wednesday night.