Yuto Horigome Clinches Back-to-Back Golds in Thrilling Skateboarding Competition

Yuto Horigome of Japan secured his second consecutive gold medal in men's street skateboarding, overcoming a challenging position with a spectacular final trick. He edged out Americans Jagger Eaton and Nyjah Huston by a narrow margin, amidst an electrifying atmosphere much different from the empty stands of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Yuto Horigome, the first men's street skateboarding Olympic champion from 2021, was not initially aiming for the podium this time. However, the 25-year-old Japanese skater executed the best trick of the event, edging out Americans Jagger Eaton and Nyjah Huston to repeat his title. Horigome scored a remarkable 97.08, clinching the gold by a mere 0.1 points in a nerve-wracking finale. The vibrant, packed crowd starkly contrasted the empty stands of Tokyo three years ago.

''It means everything,'' Horigome expressed. ''It feels like a living dream. Tokyo had no crowds, so to have all the fans here this time is a special moment." Eaton and Huston both led the final at different moments, but Horigome's nollie 270 to nosebluntside trick sealed his victory. ''Yuto, it's all respect,'' said Eaton. ''At that level, anybody could've won.'' Huston echoed, ''Yuto doesn't feel fear or pressure.'' Though initially devastated by not landing his final trick, Huston acknowledged the level of talent present.

Despite a challenging seventh-place finish in Tokyo and intense competition, Huston's spirits were lifted by the compelling performances, even from those lower on the leaderboard. Canadian Cornado Russell, an elite skateboarder despite ranking outside the medals, praised the event as the future of skateboarding. Postponed due to adverse weather, flawless conditions on Monday set the stage for spectacular performances, though notable skaters, including local favorites and young debutantes, missed out on the final rounds.

(With inputs from agencies.)