Jayden (Jayo) Archer, a freestyle motocross rider known for pushing the limit on his bike, died on Wednesday while practicing in Melbourne, Australia. He was 27.
Few details have been released about Archer’s death as Victoria state police said on Thursday they would not comment on individuals or incidents due to privacy concerns.
According to a report by US Weekly, Archer died while practicing a triple backflip.
The Aussie was the first person to land a triple backflip in competition and reportedly was set to attempt a quadruple back flip later this year.
He had been part of the Nitro Circus for more than a decade. The group confirmed his death in an Instagram post.
“Jayo was the epitome of passion, hard work & determination,” Nitro Circus wrote. “He pushed what was possible on a dirt bike to heights never seen before. A positive influence to those around him. And above all else a great human being and friend to us all. We love you mate. Ride in peace.”
Nitro Circus founder and legendary extreme athlete Travis Pastrana said he was devastated by the news.
“This really hit home,” Pastrana told ESPN. “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 mother****er third.”
Archer also was a two-time medallist at the X Games, the biggest extreme sporting competition in the world.
“We are deeply saddened by Jayo Archer’s passing and our thoughts and prayers go out to his parents and fiancée,” Scott Guglielmino, interim chief operating officer X Games, said in a statement to ESPN.
“One of the most committed and charismatic FMX riders, Jayo will be missed by the X Games family.”
Archer first landed the triple backflip in November 2022 at the Nitro World Games in Brisbane, Australia, and was one of only three riders to have completed it.
The day was special for Archer in more ways than one: After being interviewed about sticking the groundbreaking trick, he took the microphone, knelt on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend, Beth King, who was standing nearby.
King posted a compilation video of Archer and writing, “My beautiful, beautiful boy,” alongside a crying face emoji to her Instagram Story on Thursday.
The couple was to be married this year.