Knee injury knocks out Brandon Loupos from Olympic BMX freestyle debut

Making its Olympic debut in Japan, BMX freestyle is a judged competition where riders perform two one-minute runs executing tricks on ramps, walls, box jumps, and spines throughout the park.

BMX rider Brandon Loupos poses for a photograph at the Rampfest Indoor Skate Park in 2019 Photo: AAP via James Ross

25 June 2021 12:51pm

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Greek-Australian 2019 BMX world champion Brandon Loupos will not be heading over to Tokyo for the Olympics with fellow Aussie Logan Martin.

The nation that comes out on top in the ranking receives two Olympic quota spots, a huge chunk in the nine-man field, and Australia was ranked first going into the world championships ahead of the United States.

All eyes are on Martin now, who is currently the favourite to win the first BMX freestyle Olympic gold medal after taking home the world title in Montpellier, France last week.

Unfortunately Loupos suffered a serious knee injury at the same tournament and is set to undergo surgery in Sydney where he is currently in hotel quarantine.

The 28-year-old defending world champion had a promising start to his first run, nailing some incredible tricks, but his luck ended there.

At one point his foot slipped on the pedal, sending Loupos crashing to the floor, unable to continue.

Despite being competitors, Martin described his victory as “bittersweet” due to the outcome of Loupos’ injury.

He expected to have his Australian teammate by his side in Japan.

“It’s definitely bittersweet – in my mind it was always the thought that me and him (Loupos) were meant to be going,” Martin said in a post match interview.

“We were both going to do well at each event and we were both going to qualify Australia in first so were both going to go.

“It’s super crazy how it played out with his injury – he didn’t crash – his knee just gave way under impact so it’s something that you can’t really understand why it happened.”