Tokyo Olympics: Charlotte Worthington pulls off historic move to win BMX freestyle gold

Worthington nailed the first 360 backflip in women’s competition.

Charlotte Worthington is an Olympic champion (Marijan Murat via DPA/PA) (PA Media)

Charlotte Worthington won gold for Great Britain in the first Olympic women’s BMX freestyle competition in Tokyo.

The 25-year-old nailed the first ever 360 backflip to be performed in women’s competition in a huge second run – having crashed attempting the move in her first.

It was just one of several highlights in a second effort that earned the Mancunian a monster score of 97.50.

Having made the 360 stick early in her run, a confident-looking Worthington also threw in a front flip and a huge backflip to pad her scoring and deliver yet another BMX medal for Britain after the racing gold and silver for Beth Shriever and Kye Whyte.

Worthington had shown her ambition in the first run as she attempted the 360 backflip, but missed the landing to hit the deck, leaving her well down the standings after the opening round.

American Hannah Roberts had topped the standings after an opening run worth 96.10, but when she pulled up early in her second run, gold for Worthington was guaranteed.