Cory Coffey

Cory Coffey (born 1982 in Ojai, California) is a female BMX rider, she is widely recognized as the first woman to perform a backflip on a BMX bike, landing the maneuver in competition in 2001, and is regarded as a pioneer of women's BMX freestyle. She is often referred to with the title "Miss Cory Coffey." Coffey went on to become a two-time women's BMX World Champion and competed internationally for more than two decades. She now travels to every UCI, X Games and Team USA competition in athlete advocacy through USA Cycling and the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and is often a voice referenced for media interviews about the sport like the Olympics.

Racing career After racing BMX for three years, Coffey decided when she was 17 years old to move away from racing in order to ride ramps and pedal less. Coffey has had 12 knee surgeries. She also received a severe concussion during the MTV Sports and Music Festival in Las Vegas.

Early Life Coffey was born and raised in Ojai, California. She began riding BMX at age 14, initially competing in BMX racing before transitioning to ramps, dirt jumps and freestyle riding. At the time, women's participation in BMX freestyle was limited, and Coffey frequently competed and trained alongside male riders. In 2001, at age 19, Coffey became the first woman to land a backflip in BMX competition. The achievement became a defining moment in the development of women's freestyle BMX. The UCI has subsequently identified Coffey as the first woman to perform a backflip on a BMX bike. Her accomplishment helped establish her as one of the early pioneers of women's BMX freestyle. She subsequently won two women's BMX World Championships and became an internationally recognized rider.

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International competition Coffey competed in BMX freestyle events throughout the United States and internationally, traveling to Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Central America. Her career included appearances at major international BMX competitions and participation in the development of women's freestyle BMX during the sport's formative years. In 2017, Coffey was named to the inaugural USA Cycling National Team's BMX Freestyle roster and placed 3rd in competition. She later continued competing at an elite level while serving as a mentor to younger riders. In 2024, Coffey represented the United States at the UCI Urban Cycling World Championships in Abu Dhabi. She competed in BMX Freestyle Park as a member of the United States team. The UCI has also identified her as a member of its BMX Freestyle Commission.

Athlete Advocacy Following her competitive career, Coffey expanded her involvement in BMX through coaching, mentoring and athlete representation. She has served in athlete-representative roles with USA Cycling and on the UCI BMX Freestyle Commission. Her advocacy has focused in part on creating greater opportunities for athletes and expanding the participation of women in BMX. Her career has coincided with the transformation of women's BMX from a largely emerging discipline into an internationally recognized sport and an Olympic discipline.

Legacy Coffey is regarded as a pioneer of women's BMX freestyle and is particularly known for becoming the first woman to perform a backflip on a BMX bike. Her achievement in 2001 helped establish a new level of possibility for female BMX riders. Her career subsequently expanded beyond competition into coaching, athlete advocacy, filmmaking and mentorship. Through her work in BMX and Detroit's creative community, Coffey has remained involved in developing opportunities for the next generation of female riders.