Olympia 2018: American Gerard wins gold in snowboard slopestyle

Snowboarder Redmond Gerard has won the first gold medal at the Pyeongchang Olympic Games in the USA. The 17-year-old, number one in the slopestyle world rankings, took the lead in the final of Bokwang with 87.16 points in the last of the three rounds.

With 17 years and 227 days Gerard is the second youngest Olympic gold medallist at Winter Games.

“This is crazy. I honestly can’t believe it,”Gerard said after his gold coup:”I tremble – maybe from the cold, or from the excitement, I don’t know. It would have been enough for me to bring down a good run and land on the podium. But being first is crazy.”

The Canadian Max Parrot (86.00) won the silver medal in the Phoenix Snow Park. The bronze medal, as in Sochi in 2014, went to his fellow countryman Mark McMorris (85.20), who had suffered fatal injuries in a training accident in March 2017.

Sage Kotsenburg (USA), who won the Olympic premiere in slopestyle four years ago, was not at the start. Top favourite Marcus Kleveland (Norway) was sixth in the standings. German boarders did not qualify.