BMX star Dane Searls dies

Brisbane Times - Popular BMX star Dane Searls has died in hospital after diving from a balcony at a Gold Coast pub on Sunday night. Searls, 23, had been in a coma since Sunday night after he attempted to dive from the first floor of Billy's Beach House into the pool. He missed the pool and landed on the cement, causing critical head and back injuries.

Searls was out celebrating a ride on Friday. Paul Everest, director of Unit clothing which sponsored the popular rider, said Searls had completed a series of four jumps - the first a nine-metre gap, the second a 12-metre gap, the third a 15-metre gap and the last an 18-metre gap, all from a height of two to three storeys to set a world record.

"He has pushed the sport to a whole new level," Mr Everest said on Monday.

"He was doing that on Friday and doing it in style."

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