BMX Freestyle Olympic medallist Charlotte Worthington says loss of local skatepark will impact sport
ITV News Correspondent Rupert Evelyn reports on the potential loss of a huge skatepark
The first ever gold medalist in BMX for Team GB has joined other athletes in a campaign to save the skatepark where they trained in the run up to the Tokyo games.
Charlotte Worthington has told ITV News the loss of the skatepark, Rush, and others will hit the sport at a time when it is already riding high.
The bumps and jumps at Rush Skatepark near Stroud are some of the best facilities in the country but not for much longer as it will close at the end of the month - when it will be turned into flats.
For the riders and skaters the place that has led them to become champions in their sport it's devastating.
Charlotte says she wouldn't be where she is today if it wasn't for her local skatepark
Ms Worthington said: "If it wasn't for my own local skatepark in Manchester which sadly has also closed, allowing me a lot of free entry and doing me a lot of favours like that, I definitely wouldn't be where I am today."
The current British under-16 BMX race champion, Joanna Banks, said without Rush she would not be able to get to where she has and fears she will have to give up the sport.
Ms Banks said: "I'm British Champion BMX Racer since 2019 and without Rush I would not be able to hold that title or be able to get that title at all."
'Without Rush I wouldn't be able to hold the British Champion title', BMX Joanna says
She added: "I feel really let down for them because it's not just me that will have to give up that sport."
Owner of Rush Skatepark, Jerry Norman, said: "It is gut-wrenching, and not so much for me, it's to do with the kids and the community within the skatepark. There is a desperate need for a world-class training facility in the UK."
The council landlords were always clear the site was not forever and are trying to help with relocation. But many fear the impact of its loss will hit the sport's future stars hard.