Aussie creates history with Olympic medal as reigning champion ...

There were mixed fortunes for Australia’s Olympic BMX cyclists in the freestyle park finals on Wednesday, with Natalya Diehm winning a historic bronze medal before reigning champion Logan Martin crashed out.

Martin, who won gold in the inaugural event at the Tokyo Games three years ago, failed to put together a complete performance in either of his two runs in scorching conditions at Paris’ La Concorde.

With his family watching from the stands, the 30-year-old produced a couple of spectacular flips and aerials during his first run before crashing out with seconds remaining, notching a score of 64.40 from the judging panel.

Needing a score in the nineties to push for a podium finish, Martin attempted a quadruple tailwhip early in his second attempt before losing speed and putting his foot down, accepting his fate and throwing in the towel.

The Queenslander, who placed third during the qualifiers, finished last out of the nine riders as Argentina’s Jose Torres Gil won gold with a score of 94.82. Britain’s Kieran Reilly (93.91) and hometown hero Anthony Jeanjean from France (93.76) joined Torres Gil on the podium.

Australia's Logan Martin. Photo by Emmanuel DUNAND / AFPSource: AFP

“Obviously it wasn’t the day I wanted,” Martin told Channel 9.

“I wasn’t able to pull my runs, which is super disappointing to me. It’s not the fact that I’m not walking away with a medal, it’s the fact that I couldn’t land a run.

“I always go out there, try and put on my best show, try and put on my best performance, and I wasn’t able to make that happen today, so a little bit disappointed.

“Life moves on.

“The good thing is, I do already have a gold medal at the Olympics, and that means a lot to me.

“I am grateful for this life that I’m living.”

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Logan Martin of Team Australia. Photo by Alex Broadway/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

Earlier, Diehm became the first Australian woman to claim a medal in any international freestyle BMX event after a career-defining performance in the French capital.

The 26-year-old, who has undergone five knee reconstructions, registered a score of 88.80 to join China’s Yawen Deng (92.60) and America’s Perris Benegas (90.70) on the podium.

Having placed eighth in the preliminary rounds with a score of 83.89, Diehm was not expected to push for a medal, but her impressive first run was headlined by a no-footed can-can, a backflip with 180-degree turn and some tyre grabs.

The Queenslander started her second run with a frontflip, which prompted loud gasps from the Paris crowd, but she failed to improve her score after missing a flare.

Later, a disappointing performance from American star Hannah Roberts, who suffered a fall and botched tricks, opened the door for Diehm’s inspirational podium finish, her first medal in an international competition.

“It was definitely one of the most nerve-racking moments of my life,” Diehm said.

“Coming down to the last rider, Hannah Roberts being one of my best friends and I know how good she is as a competitor, I didn’t want to wish bad on anyone, but I wanted that podium so bad and I can’t believe that it’s here.”

Bronze medallist Natalya Diehm of Team Australia. Photo by Alex Broadway/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

Diehm, who placed fifth at the Tokyo Games three years ago, previously considered quitting the sport due to lack of funding and injury setbacks.

“After Tokyo, I didn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel,” Diehm continued.

“I just had to keep pushing forward. The one thing I knew for certain, that’s not the way I wanted to go out.

“I wanted this so bad, to be the first Aussie female rider to get a medal at an Olympic Games.

“I’m hoping we’ll get some funding and continue to grow the sport in Australia for females, as well as males, and the kids to inspire them.”