Australian freestyle motocross star Jayden Archer has died, reportedly crashing while practising the trick that made him famous.
Archer, 27, was the first motocross rider to land a triple backflip in competition, at the Nitro World Games in Brisbane in November 2022. Moments later, he proposed to his girlfriend.
He was killed while practising the trick at training in his hometown of Melbourne, according to ESPN.
Archer was a star of the Australian motocross scene. He secured a sponsorship deal with Powersports Kawasaki in 2011 at the age of 15, after becoming the youngest person on record to land a motorcycle backflip over 75ft.
He was a medallist at the X Games in 2023 and was one of only three people known to have performed the triple backflip.
Moments after landing the trick in November 2022, he said: “I cannot describe this feeling. This is so much more than a trick to me. I’ve dedicated my entire life the last three years, to this moment. There were a lot of obstacles and broken bones and knockouts, and I would do it 100 times over to relive that moment again.”
Archer then took the microphone from the interviewer and proposed to his girlfriend, Beth King.
Nitro Circus, an action sports collective, which Archer was part of for 10 years, confirmed his death on social media.
“The Nitro Circus family is mourning the loss of Jayo Archer,” the group posted on Instagram. “Jayo was the epitome of passion, hard work and determination. He pushed what was possible on a dirt bike to heights never seen before. A positive influence to those around him. And above all else a great human being and friend to us all.”
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The motocross community has expressed their grief at Archer’s death.
“Jayo lit up every room he walked into with his energy and his good values,” wrote fellow rider Harry Bink, in a post on Instagram. “He wasn’t scared of much and I really admire him for it … I don’t think even Jayo even knows how much we are all going to miss him.”
