Australian Kieran Woolley wins maiden X Games skateboard park title
The Olympian produced a winning set of tricks on his third run to claim X Games gold on Sunday (24 July). He finished ahead of U.S. teenager Gavin Bottger in second place and Brazil's Luiz Francisco in third.
Skateboarding
Australian Kieran Woolley tasted skateboard park victory in his second X Games appearance with a superior third-round run in California on Sunday (24 July).
The 18-year-old Woolley is experiencing a breakthrough year after winning silver at his maiden X Games in Chiba, Japan, earlier this year. Woolley edged American sensation, Gavin Bottger, the youngest competitor in the field, into second place. Brazil’s Luiz Francisco rounded out the podium earning the bronze medal on his 22nd birthday. Francisco took the early lead before Woolley landed his winning set of tricks to launch himself into first place.
"Everyone was skating so good...everybody's skating was just next level, the competition was ridiculous," Woolley told ESPN in a post-competition interview.
"I am so honoured to take this away with me. I just put a smile on my face and went out there and had fun. I didn't really care about the result. Yeah, it worked."
Woolley has been on an upwards curve since finishing fifth in the final at Tokyo 2020. He made headlines after the qualification runs. He reached the inaugural final at the Games after he ploughed into a cameraman at Ariake Urban Sports Park. Both skater and the cameraman were unscathed.
Meanwhile, fellow Australian and Olympic champion Keegan Palmer bowed out of the X Games competition in fourth place.
Final results - Men's park
- Kieran Woolley (AUS)
- Gavin Bottger (USA)
- Luiz Francisco (BRA)
- Keegan Palmer (AUS)
- Jagger Eaton (USA)
- Tate Carew (USA)
- Alex Sorgente (USA)
- Liam Pace (USA)
- Tristan Rennie (USA)