Kieran Reilly Secures BMX Freestyle Silver at Paris Games

Kieran Reilly from Great Britain clinched BMX freestyle silver in a thrilling Olympic final in Paris. The 23-year-old initially scored 93.70 in his first run, securing second place and guaranteeing at least a bronze. He improved his score to 93.91 in his second run but fell short of Argentina’s Jose Torres Gil, who won gold with a score of 94.82. Reilly described the competition as the highest level he has ever seen in BMX and expressed pride in his performance.

Reilly, who finished first in Tuesday’s qualifiers at Place de la Concorde, was the last rider in the nine-person final. Despite knowing what his competitors had achieved, he delivered a complex and intense routine, marked by emotional reactions from both him and his support team including Tokyo 2020 champion Charlotte Worthington. Reilly admitted that while he was guaranteed a medal, his mindset remained focused on gold.

Bronze went to home favorite Anthony Jeanjean, who remarkably recovered from a fall in his first run to score 93.76 on his second attempt. In the women’s event, China’s Deng Yawen won gold while Worthington, the defending champion, finished 11th in the qualifiers and did not advance. Kieran Reilly from Gateshead began BMX riding at nine and turned professional in 2020.

Known for pioneering new tricks, he became the first to land a triple flair in 2022, which catapulted him into the sport’s elite. His achievements include silver at the European Championships, gold at the European Games, and a World Championship win in Glasgow. His Olympic silver adds to his impressive list of accomplishments. Despite fierce competition, including crashes by Tokyo 2020 champion Logan Martin and Marcus Christopher, Reilly’s technical run showcased his skill. However, he could not surpass Torres Gil’s high-difficulty performance.