Motocross star Jayden 'Jayo' Archer, who had previously competed in the X Games and Nitro World Games, has died at the age of 27, ESPN reports.
Archer, a native of Melbourne, Australia, died while practicing a trick in his hometown on Wednesday (February 21). The decorated freestyle motocross star is credited as the first person to successfully land a triple backflip in competition, as well as pushing the progression of the sport, according to multi-sport Nitro Circus founder Travis Pastrana.
"This really hit home," Pastrana told ESPN on Wednesday. "Jayo grew up in a time when action sports was at its biggest, and he always wanted to do the big stuff like the double and the triple, even though there weren't a lot of places to showcase those bigger tricks. He'd get up every morning at 4 a.m. and go to the gym before work so he could ride his dirt bike. When he came to Maryland to train, he stayed at my house and was an incredible role model to my kids. He was a great human first, a hard worker second and a bad motherf---er third."
Archer successfully landed the triple backflip while competing in the Nitro World Games in Brisbane, Australia, in November 2022, a feat that has only been accomplished by two other riders.
"I cannot describe this feeling," Archer said at the time via ESPN. "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 proposed to his girlfriend, Beth King, who he was set to marry later this year.