Want in on the BMX community? Charlotte Worthington has your backstage pass
Olympics.com hung out with the Tokyo 2020 BMX Freestyle champion for 48 hours in Shanghai ahead of the city hosting the Olympic Qualifier Series to learn what makes the BMX community special and why fist bumps are a great way to bridge language barriers.
Cycling BMX Freestyle
“BMX, it can be a universal language,” Charlotte Worthington says in a YouTube diary chronicling her 48 hours in Shanghai ahead of the Olympic Qualifier Series.
The exclamation comes shortly after the Olympic champion bumps fists with members of a local film crew, using this classic greeting from the BMX Freestyle world to bridge the language barrier.
Fist bumps are not a typical sight in the People’s Republic of China, but then neither is BMX Freestyle. Great Britain's Worthington hopes the spectacle of the Olympic Qualifier Series will change that, bringing people closer through sport, not only in the country hosting the first stage of the OQS, but around the world.
Charlotte Worthington’s 48 hours in Shanghai
Worthington’s first ever trip to Shanghai is a colourful two-day blitz of riding along the Bund, sightseeing gardens and temples, trying local food at a restaurant that has welcomed then-USA President Bill Clinton as well as other major politicians, and teaching local kids how to perfect their moves at the skatepark.
The BMX community is one of the things that Worthington loves the most about her sport.
“BMX means the world to me because it's so different from other sports and it's very welcoming,” she told Olympics.com. “It's a great community. It's where I've got many friends, and the thing I love about it is the community and going on adventures, meeting new people, experiencing new cultures, and just having fun. And that's what BMX means to me.”
Whether it’s riding along the Bund with a group of young riders or dropping into a skatepark with kids who are learning their first moves, Worthington relishes any opportunity she has to connect with fellow BMX enthusiasts.
For her, that lack of boundaries between riders of different ages and skill level is the essence of the sport.
“What makes BMX freestyle so special is the community and how welcoming everybody is,” Worthington said. “It doesn't matter if you're a beginner or if you're a professional. Whatever skill you are learning, everyone is the same level and it will be celebrated just as hard. Everyone in BMX likes to push each other, support each other and learn.”
Ride for Paris 2024 spot or watch to be dazzled: The Olympic Qualifier Series
Worthington’s ride with Shanghai’s youngest BMX talents ends with the signing of autographs and farewell waves. While the next mission for these kids will be to learn some new tricks on their bikes, for Worthington it is to qualify for her second Olympic Games.
The Tokyo 2020 champion will be among the athletes competing in the Olympic Qualifier Series for the 150 Paris 2024 quotas that are up for grabs in the two-stage event: BMX freestyle, breaking, skateboarding and sport climbing.
The first stage will be held from 16-19 May in Shanghai with the second to follow from 20-23 June in Budapest, Hungary. All of the action will be streamed live on Olympic Channel via Olympics.com and the official Olympics app for mobile devices.
A total of 24 riders, split equally between males and females, will compete in BMX Freestyle at Paris 2024. Six athletes of each gender will secure the final Olympic quotas based on their ranking points at the end of both OQS stages, and Worthington hopes to be one of them.
But the British athlete has another goal too, and that is to put on a real show for the Chinese spectators who are still discovering the new Olympic sport. Worthington is sure they will enjoy watching it live.
“The vibe at a BMX competition, it's exciting,” she said. “No one quite knows what's going to happen because there's so many variables. But it's such a visually pleasing sport that no matter what, you can expect to be wowed and amazed by something new or something just very beautiful out on the course. And that's the vibe. It's really exciting.”
And if any of the spectators are inspired to pick up a BMX bike after watching the final Olympic qualifier, all the better.
“If you're a young Chinese person interested in learning about BMX, I would say go to the skatepark, speak to people, make friends, get creative together and push each other on learning new tricks and skills. That will really help you stay consistent and stay in the park and get inspired,” Worthington shared her tips for getting started in the sport.
“If you want to learn about BMX culture more, because it hasn't fully translated to China, I'd say look on the Internet, at places like the USA, the UK, Australia too, for BMX routes and where it came from and what the lifestyle as a whole really brings, because it's not just about competing. Although that's an incredible aspect and brings amazing opportunities, it's really a lifestyle and that's something that I love about it.”