Tokyo Olympics 2021: Japan’s Yuto Horigum wins first-ever gold in skateboarding

[ad_1]

Skateboarding was one of six Olympic sports to debut in Tokyo this year, and on Sunday took home its first medal in the competition.

Japan’s Yuto Horigumi won the medal in the men’s streets. He initially stumbled in his first two runs on the track at Ariak Urban Sports Park, but was able to perform high-scoring tricks on his third attempt and fended off Kelvin Hoefler and American Jagger Eaton.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Yuto Horigum of Japan reacts after skating during the men’s skateboarding finals at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 25, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Horigum, 22, learned to skate in the city when he was young, which made the gold medal in Tokyo all the more important.

“I felt the importance of returning to the Koto ward, it meant a lot to me,” he said via Reuters.

While the first medals were handed out on Sunday, the skaters’ real focus was a broader acceptance of the sport, which made its debut at the Games.

Live Updates: Tokyo 2021 Olympics

“Skateboarding is still a small sport,” Horigum said. “I want to show how fun skating is.”

Hoefler hoped his silver would bring some change in Brazil, where football is the country’s dominant sport, saying “it will change their mind.”

Manny Santiago, of Puerto Rico, noted the friendship between the skaters.

“The goal is to get every sport to the maximum and we can do that without hitting or cheating,” Santiago said. “Other sports need that. (In) the cafeteria last night, we all sat down to dinner in the cafeteria last night, and we all sat down before the event started. You don’t see that in swimming.”

CLICK HERE FOR FOX NEWS APP

There are still three other skateboarding competitions played: Women’s Street, Men’s Park, and Women’s Park.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[ad_2]