A distraught Charlotte Worthington bowed out of her Olympic title defence in the women’s BMX freestyle qualifiers after a subdued performance in the baking heat of central Paris.

Worthington, the exuberant gold medallist in the Tokyo Games, was a shadow of that performance in the Olympic qualifying heats, finishing 11th in the 12-rider field and missing the cut of the top nine qualifiers for the final on Wednesday.

The 28-year-old, who has struggled with mental health issues since her success in Tokyo, took an hour to compose herself after missing qualification. When she spoke later, in the shadow of the stands, it was clear that her emotions were still raw.

“I am really proud of the journey to get here,” she said. “Up there I wasn’t fighting any other battle, other than the battle against myself. There were two bits of the run that didn’t quite come together. This course showcases mistakes. I made a mistake and went flat and lost momentum. The way I ride qualifying I was banking on my speed and height. I made a mistake.

“Today was challenging. I couldn’t quite pull the run together, but it’s not the end of the journey.”

In early 2023, Worthington took time out from competition, in a bid to adapt to the pressures of her status as Olympic champion. “My personal goal was to be a two-time Olympian. Sport is about setting dreams and goals you are not even sure you can achieve. For me to be up here, I didn’t think I’d be standing up here right now.

“When you know you are in a position to not be fighting for that top step, you can take that layer of pressure off yourself and be a bit more in the room.

“It has still been a challenge, it’s always a rollercoaster, you get thoughts creeping in – ‘What if this happens, what are people going to think?’ That is the battle that every athlete deals with.

“I am obviously gutted that my competition doesn’t go on another day. But having three years as being the only person in the world to call myself the freestyle BMX Olympic champion, has been absolutely fantastic. It’s been a hell of a ride.

“I’ll absolutely not be able to stop riding BMX. I’ll probably ride it until I can’t ride it any more physically. I love the sport. It has built me as a person and has given me everything.”

In the men’s heats Team GB’s world and European champion, Kieran Reilly, was the best qualifier, scoring highest in both first and second heats. The 22-year-old from Gateshead rides in the final in Place de la Concorde on Wednesday afternoon.

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