'Worst nightmare': Teenage dirt bike rider killed at competition
Friends, family and fellow competitors are mourning the death of a 16-year-old dirt bike rider who died during a race at the Queensland Dirt and Long Track Titles on Monday.
Teenage rider Anthony Gordon, who hailed from the Gold Coast, was competing at the Mick Doohan Raceway in Banyo, Brisbane, when he is believed to have struck a fence just before 2pm.
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He was pronounced dead at the scene, despite desperate attempts from paramedics to save him.
Tributes have poured in for Gordon, while Queensland Police's Laurie Shevlin described the accident as 'a parent's worst nightmare'.
“This is a tragic incident that no one could have foreseen,” he said on Monday.
“There is now one family here dealing with a terrible, tragic loss.”
16 year old Gold Coast boy Anthony Gordon has been hailed a champ by friends and family both on and off the track. He was killed in a tragic motorcross accident on Brisbane’s Northside yesterday. @7NewsBrisbane pic.twitter.com/FU7df1p98F
— Anna McGraw (@annamcgraw_7) May 4, 2021
On Instagram, Gordon's 'best mate' Seth Qualischefsk described his heartbreak over the tragic loss.
“Today I lost my best mate my brother to a racing incident at the 2021 QLD Championships,” he wrote.
“Anthony was always around me and my family and we loved every second we could spare together.
“All the memories I had with you are unforgettable and I’m lost for words and I still can’t believe that you’ve moved on to a better place looking down on me.
“You are my brother and I can’t believe I’ll never get to share a track with you again. You are so special to me knuckle head and I wish there was something I could’ve done to help.
“Your soul will live on forever and you’ll be in my heart forever mate and I’ll be looking up at you every night … I’ll see you up there one day. I love you mate.”
Tributes flow for teenage rider killed in tragic accident
Other friends of the 16-year-old also took to social media to share their grief over the loss.
“He was a loving friend and will never be forgotten and will be forever missed,” one wrote, while others said they would be 'lost with out him'.
“Knuckles will be very missed but never forgotten … Always in our hearts and on the track no matter what. A beautiful soul taken way too early," wrote another friend.
Police have asked anyone who may have filmed the race, which started at 1:45pm on Monday, to hand in any footage they have which may assist forensic crash investigators.
The North Brisbane Junior Motorcycle Club, which hosted the championships, also requested that anyone with footage from the event refrain from posting it online out of respect for Gordon's family.
“If any person does have images or footage, please contact the club as soon as possible,” the club wrote on Facebook.
The event was originally scheduled for Sunday, but was postponed by a day due to wet weather over the weekend.
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