Olympic BMX: How Racing and Freestyle Work, Plus Every Champion (2026)
BMX has two Olympic events: gate-start racing since 2008 and judged freestyle park since Tokyo 2020. Here's how each works, who has won, and what's next at LA28.
Olympic BMX at a Glance
| BMX Racing | BMX Freestyle (Park) | |
|---|---|---|
| Olympic debut | Beijing 2008 | Tokyo 2020 (held in 2021) |
| What riders do | Race from a start gate over jumps and banked turns | Perform tricks on ramps, walls and jumps in a park |
| How you win | First across the line in the final | Highest judges' score |
| Field size (Paris 2024) | 24 men, 24 women | 12 men, 12 women |
| Riders at once | Up to 8 | 1 |
| Events | Men's and women's | Men's and women's |
BMX is part of the cycling program at the Summer Olympics, along with road, track and mountain biking. Learn the basics of the race discipline in what is BMX racing.
How Olympic BMX Racing Works
BMX racing is a short, explosive sprint. Up to eight riders start side by side behind a gate on top of a steep starting hill, which provides much of the speed for the rest of the lap. They race around a dirt track packed with jumps, rollers and banked turns, and the first rider across the finish line wins.
Format at Paris 2024
- Quarterfinals: three heats of eight riders race three times. Riders score points by finishing position (1 point for first, 2 for second and so on), and the lowest totals advance. The top 12 go straight to the semifinals.
- Last chance qualifier: riders ranked 13th to 20th race again, and the top four join the semifinals.
- Semifinals: two heats of eight, again over three runs, with the top eight advancing.
- Final: a single run; first across the line wins gold.
Each country could enter up to three riders per gender at Paris.
How Olympic BMX Freestyle Works
Olympic BMX freestyle is held in a "park," a course of ramps, quarterpipes, walls, boxes and jumps. Riders take turns performing 60-second runs packed with spins, flips and tricks.
Scoring
Judges score each run on overall impression, on a scale up to 100. They consider:
- Difficulty of tricks
- Amplitude (height)
- Flow and use of the course
- Variety
- Execution and landings
- Risk
- Style and creativity
Format at Paris 2024
- Twelve riders per gender, with at most two per country.
- Qualification: two runs, with the average score ranking riders; the top nine reach the final.
- Final: two runs in reverse seeding order, and the best single run counts.
Paris 2024 was the first Olympic BMX freestyle competition with a live crowd, after Tokyo's events were held without spectators.
Olympic BMX Racing Champions
| Games | Men's Gold | Women's Gold |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing 2008 | Māris Štrombergs (Latvia) | Anne-Caroline Chausson (France) |
| London 2012 | Māris Štrombergs (Latvia) | Mariana Pajón (Colombia) |
| Rio 2016 | Connor Fields (USA) | Mariana Pajón (Colombia) |
| Tokyo 2020 | Niek Kimmann (Netherlands) | Bethany Shriever (Great Britain) |
| Paris 2024 | Joris Daudet (France) | Saya Sakakibara (Australia) |
Full Podiums, 2008 to 2024
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men 2008 | Māris Štrombergs (LAT) | Mike Day (USA) | Donny Robinson (USA) |
| Women 2008 | Anne-Caroline Chausson (FRA) | Laëtitia Le Corguillé (FRA) | Jill Kintner (USA) |
| Men 2012 | Māris Štrombergs (LAT) | Sam Willoughby (AUS) | Carlos Oquendo (COL) |
| Women 2012 | Mariana Pajón (COL) | Sarah Walker (NZL) | Laura Smulders (NED) |
| Men 2016 | Connor Fields (USA) | Jelle van Gorkom (NED) | Carlos Ramírez (COL) |
| Women 2016 | Mariana Pajón (COL) | Alise Post (USA) | Stefany Hernández (VEN) |
| Men 2020 | Niek Kimmann (NED) | Kye Whyte (GBR) | Carlos Ramírez (COL) |
| Women 2020 | Bethany Shriever (GBR) | Mariana Pajón (COL) | Merel Smulders (NED) |
| Men 2024 | Joris Daudet (FRA) | Sylvain André (FRA) | Romain Mathieu (FRA) |
| Women 2024 | Saya Sakakibara (AUS) | Manon Veenstra (NED) | Zoé Claessens (SUI) |
Racing Highlights
- 2008: Anne-Caroline Chausson won the first women's Olympic BMX gold; France's Laëtitia Le Corguillé took silver after Britain's Shanaze Reade crashed on the final turn.
- 2012: Māris Štrombergs became the first rider to win two Olympic BMX golds.
- 2016: Connor Fields won the first Olympic BMX gold for the USA, and Mariana Pajón became the first Colombian with two Olympic golds.
- 2020: Fields crashed in the semifinals and spent a week in the hospital; Pajón won silver for her third Olympic medal.
- 2024: France swept the men's podium on home soil.
Olympic BMX Freestyle Medalists
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men 2020 | Logan Martin (AUS) | Daniel Dhers (VEN) | Declan Brooks (GBR) |
| Women 2020 | Charlotte Worthington (GBR) | Hannah Roberts (USA) | Nikita Ducarroz (SUI) |
| Men 2024 | José Torres Gil (ARG) | Kieran Reilly (GBR) | Anthony Jeanjean (FRA) |
| Women 2024 | Deng Yawen (CHN) | Perris Benegas (USA) | Natalya Diehm (AUS) |
Charlotte Worthington's 2020 gold-winning run included a 360 backflip, a trick the UCI said had never been landed by a woman in competition. So far, no freestyle rider has won more than one Olympic medal, and Great Britain has the most freestyle medals with three.
Most Decorated Olympic BMX Riders
| Rider | Country | Medals |
|---|---|---|
| Mariana Pajón | Colombia | 2 gold, 1 silver (racing) |
| Māris Štrombergs | Latvia | 2 gold (racing) |
| Carlos Ramírez | Colombia | 2 bronze (racing, 2016 and 2020) |
Team USA in Olympic BMX
- Connor Fields: gold, men's BMX racing, Rio 2016.
- Hannah Roberts: silver, women's BMX freestyle park, Tokyo 2020.
- Perris Benegas: silver, women's BMX freestyle park, Paris 2024.
- Mike Day: silver, men's BMX racing, Beijing 2008.
- Donny Robinson: bronze, men's BMX racing, Beijing 2008.
- Jill Kintner: bronze, women's BMX racing, Beijing 2008.
- Alise Post (now Post-Willoughby): silver, women's BMX racing, Rio 2016.
BMX at LA28
Both BMX racing and BMX freestyle are planned for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, held July 14 to 30, 2028. The UCI says both will take place at the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area in Encino, in the San Fernando Valley along the Los Angeles River. Event details can change, so check the official LA28 schedule closer to the Games.
Olympic BMX Bikes
Both disciplines use BMX bikes with 20-inch wheels, though race bikes and freestyle bikes are set up differently for speed or tricks. Recreational BMX racing also has "cruiser" classes on bigger wheels, commonly 24 inches. Compare bikes in the best BMX race bikes and the best BMX bikes, and check fit with our BMX size chart.
Mongoose Title Pro/Elite
A 20-inch BMX race bike from Mongoose's Title line for riders starting out on the track.
Check Price on AmazonHow to Get Into BMX
- Find a local track or park. In the US, check USA BMX for sanctioned race tracks near you, and ask about beginner practice sessions.
- Gear up: a full-face helmet, gloves, long pants and long sleeves are standard for racing.
- Prepare your bike: race bikes typically need a rear brake, and pegs, kickstands and reflectors usually come off for racing. Check your track's rules.
- Learn the skills: gate starts, pumping and jumping for racing; airs and tricks for freestyle. See BMX tricks for beginners.
- Join a club or class for coaching and race days.
Related Guides
Explore our BMX hub, compare BMX vs. mountain bikes, and read about other Olympic action sports in Olympic skateboarding, Olympic surfing and Olympic skiing.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did BMX become an Olympic sport?
BMX racing debuted at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. BMX freestyle park was added at the Tokyo 2020 Games, which were held in 2021.
How does Olympic BMX racing work?
Up to eight riders race at once from a start gate around a dirt track with jumps and banked turns. At Paris 2024, riders earned points in quarterfinal and semifinal runs, and the top eight raced a single-run final where the first across the line won.
How is BMX freestyle scored at the Olympics?
A panel of judges scores each 60-second run on overall impression, considering difficulty, amplitude, flow, variety, execution, risk, use of the course and creativity, on a scale up to 100.
How long is a BMX freestyle run?
60 seconds. Riders get two runs per round.
Who has won the most Olympic BMX medals?
Colombia's Mariana Pajón has the most, with two golds (2012 and 2016) and a silver (2020) in BMX racing. Latvia's Māris Štrombergs won the first two men's racing golds.
Has the USA won Olympic BMX gold?
Yes. Connor Fields won the men's BMX racing gold at Rio 2016, the first American to win Olympic BMX gold. US riders Hannah Roberts and Perris Benegas won freestyle park silver in 2020 and 2024.
Where will BMX be held at LA 2028?
Both BMX racing and BMX freestyle are planned for the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area in the San Fernando Valley, during the Games from July 14 to 30, 2028.
How many Olympic BMX medals has the USA won?
Seven through Paris 2024: one gold, four silvers and two bronzes across BMX racing and freestyle park, including three racing medals at Beijing 2008.
What size wheels do Olympic BMX bikes use?
BMX bikes use 20-inch wheels.