Jayden Archer: Aussie dirt bike superstar dies aged just 27 as training session goes horribly wrong when he attempts one of the world’s most difficult tricks

Australian motocross star Jayden Archer has died aged 27 after an attempt to perform the trick that made him world famous went horribly wrong during a practice session on Wednesday.

The Victorian rose to fame by becoming the first motocross rider to land a triple backflip in competition and he was trying to perform the move when he lost his life in Melbourne. 

Nicknamed ‘Jayo’, Archer was due to marry his fiancee Beth King later this year after proposing to her just after landing his history-making trick at the Nitro World Games in Brisbane in 2022.

Archer was planning to marry his fiancee Beth King (pictured together) later this year before tragedy struck on Wednesday

Archer was planning to marry his fiancee Beth King (pictured together) later this year before tragedy struck on Wednesday

The 27-year-old (pictured centre with fellow motocross riders) was practising the triple backflip trick that made him famous when he died

The 27-year-old (pictured centre with fellow motocross riders) was practising the triple backflip trick that made him famous when he died

He had been a member of the famous Nitro Circus crew for more than 10 years, won two medals at the X Games and was planning to attempt a world-first quadruple backflip before his death.

Freestyle motocross legend Travis Pastrana was left devastated by the news.

‘This really hit home. 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,’ Pastrana told ESPN. 

‘He’d get up every morning at 4am 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.’

In October last year Archer posted a heartfelt message to King on Instagram to celebrate her birthday.

Nicknamed 'Jayo', Archer (pictured with King) had been a member of the famous Nitro Circus crew for more than 10 years and was a two-time X Games medallist

Nicknamed ‘Jayo’, Archer (pictured with King) had been a member of the famous Nitro Circus crew for more than 10 years and was a two-time X Games medallist

Motocross legend Travis Pastrana called Archer 'a great human first, a hard worker second and a bad motherf***er third' as he paid tribute to his mate

Motocross legend Travis Pastrana called Archer ‘a great human first, a hard worker second and a bad motherf***er third’ as he paid tribute to his mate

‘Happy birthday to my best friend, my fiance, my lover, my partner in crime @bethkiing,’ he wrote.

‘I’m so lucky to have you. Cheers for replying to those Facebook messages from me all those years ago.’

Only three dirt bike riders have ever landed the triple backflip and Archer shared his elation after he made history by with it in 2022.

‘I cannot describe this feeling,’ he said.

‘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.’ 

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