Motocross star and X Games medalist Jayden “Jayo” Archer is dead. He was 27 years old.
Archer died Wednesday morning while practicing a triple backflip in his hometown of Melbourne, Australia, ESPN reports. Nitro Circus, the action sports collective Archer was a member of, confirmed his death in a statement on Instagram.
“The Nitro Circus family mourns the loss of Jay Archer. Jayo was the epitome of passion, hard work and determination. He pushed what was possible on a dirt bike to unprecedented heights. A positive influence on those around him. And above all else a great human being and friend to all of us,” reads their statement.
Archer worked as a back-up mechanic for Nitro Circus for years before performing in his first show in 2012, according to ESPN.
Tribute to celebrities who died in 2023
He became one of only three riders to pull off a triple backflip in November 2022, when he performed the trick for the first time at the Nitro World Games, writes CBS Sports.
In an interview after the milestone, Archer said he had been working on it for years.
“I can’t describe this feeling. This is much more than a competition and a trick for me. I’ve dedicated my whole life for the last three years doing this,” he said in a video shared on the Nitro Circus YouTube page. “I had a lot of setbacks and broken bones and knockouts, and I would do it 100 times to relive that moment.”
Robert Kraft Works to Stop ‘Hate Happening in the World’ with His Anti-Semitism Foundation (Exclusive)
After the speech, he proposed to his girlfriend, Beth King, who was standing nearby. According to ESPN, they were set to tie the knot this year.
Archer was last seen performing a triple backflip during the Nitro Circus Live Show in Jay, Oklahoma in June 2023, according to CBS Sports.
In 2023, he won a bronze medal in the MTX Best Trick category at the X Games California. He previously competed in the category at the 2021 X Games and placed sixth.
Travis Pastrana, co-founder of Nitro Circus, told ESPN that Archer’s death “really hit home.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“Jayo grew up at a time when action sports were at their peak, and he always wanted to do big things like doubles and triples, even though there wasn’t a lot of room to show those bigger tricks,” Pastrana said.
“He would get up every morning at 4am and go to the gym before work so he could ride his motorcycle,” he continued. “When he came to Maryland to coach, he stayed at my house and was an incredible role model for my kids. First, he was a great man, second, a hard worker, and third, a bad mother.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education