Olympic gold medallist Charlotte Worthington has already set her sights on Paris 2024 after her dazzling display in Tokyo.  

The 25-year-old from Manchester recovered from a fall on her first run to soar to women’s BMX park freestyle Olympic glory in dramatic fashion.  

Worthington’s total of 97.50 points was enough to beat the USA’s Hannah Roberts, who took silver, and Switzerland’s Nikita Ducarroz, who won bronze.  

She spoke at the Olympic Stadium after attending ‘I Am Team GB’s’ ‘Festival of Sport’, an event organised by Team GB and Toyota offering free and fun sporting activities to help people get active alongside their Olympic heroes.  

“I am definitely looking at Paris,” said Worthington.  

“I know how much hard work it took to get to Tokyo, so I am really looking forward to getting stuck into what will be even more hard work. 

“In the short-term, I will be taking a little break. 

“In the long-term, I am going to get back on the BMX and aim for qualifying and competing at the next Games.” 

There were free hero events at the Olympic Stadium, the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, plus a family fun day at Paulton Park, the home of Team GB’s newest recruit Peppa Pig, while other events took place all over the country on August 14 and 15. 

The event at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford started with a ‘Lap of Honour’ around the London Stadium within the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, followed by activities delivered from the main stage by local clubs, NGBs and other activity providers. 

“I got involved with ‘I Am Team GB to give back to the community and get the BMX message out there,” said Worthington.  

“Hopefully ‘I Am Team GB’ encourages and inspires more people to get involved with BMX or urban activity and sports in general. 

“I am learning now, the amount of people now taking up new sports after watching us has been really impactful.” 

I Am Team GB is already a much-loved and successful mass participation event, having seen over one million people in the UK take part after the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and welcome home the country’s history making athletes at their local sports clubs and community events. 

Team GB Commercial Director, Tim Ellerton, added: “We are really excited to have launched I Am Team GB. With the support of our presenting partner Toyota, we created a host of free events up and down the country for those inspired by the Olympics to get up and active this summer, with a festival of sport on August 14 and 15.” 

The ‘Festival of Sport’ harnessed the incredible stories of Team GB athletes in Tokyo to inspire men and women, boys, and girls across the UK to ‘Get Up and Get Active’ at free and fun events held around the country across the weekend of August 14 and 15. 

 

Tom Whiteside, Sponsorship Manager for Toyota said: “Toyota is all about promoting mobility, so to activate our sponsorship of Team GB we wanted to create something in partnership that enabled us to take the magic of the Olympics and inspire people to get up and get active, irrespective of age, experience or skill level and I Am Team GB gives us the perfect opportunity for us to do just that and we have more exciting activations to announce over the course of the campaign.” 

If you want to get involved; go to IAmTeamGB.com to find an event near you.