Dane Searls - a high flyer in BMX, but it took alcohol and a balcony to turn triumph into tragedy.
Searls, 23, was partying at Billy’s Beach House in Australia’s Surfers Paradise when he tried to dive into a pool from a first floor balcony last night and ended up hitting the concrete head first.
He was taken to Gold Coast Hospital where he remains in a coma with head and back injuries. Family and friends are keeping a bedside vigil.
Paul Everest, director of Unit clothing which sponsors the popular BMX rider said Searls had broken a world record on Friday on jumps that had been specifically built for him at Boonah.
He did a series of four jumps, the first was a 9m gap, the second a 12m gap, the third a 15m gap and the last an 18m gap, all from a height of two to three storeys.
Mr Everest said he was celebrating the jumps yesterday when he decided to dive from the balcony.
”He has pushed the sport to a whole new level,” he said.
”He was doing that on Friday and doing it in style. … We’re just praying for a miracle.”
Searls emerged on the world BMX stage after being filmed for the Giants of Dirt videos last year riding a course that had some of the biggest dirt jumps in the world.
Messages of support have started to flood social networking sites for the ”legend”.
Alcohol really is overated as a party enhancer.
