Park, Men

As a new entry to the Olympic program, there were no former Olympic champions in men’s BMX park freestyle. Therefore, having won the 2021 World Championships just over a month prior to the Games, Australia’s Logan Martin was seen as a favorite in the event. He was also the 2017 world champion and the 2019 runner-up, behind his compatriot Brandon Loupos, who had been injured at the 2021 Worlds. The expectations were well-warranted, as he won the seeding round with ease and was comfortably ahead of the pack in his first run in the final, scoring a 93.30 that no one could best.

Daniel Dhers of Venezuela, the reigning Pan American champion, however, came close. Although he was third in the seeding round, behind home audience favorite Rimu Nakamura, he put on an excellent show in the second run of the finals to score 92.05 and take home the silver medal. Nakamura, on the other hand, struggled in the final and thus bronze went to Great Britain’s Declan Brooks, who had also taken bronze at the 2019 European Championships. His performance just edged out that of Kenneth Tencio of Costa Rica, 90.80 to 90.50.