Olympic Games Paris 2024

Olympic champ Horigome Yuto spearheads Japanese sweep in Chiba as Rayssa Leal and Jagger Eaton win maiden X Games titles

By Shintaro Kano
4 min|
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Picture by Brett Wilhelm/ESPN Images

The Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Horigome awes in rain-shortened final as first X Games in Japan comes to an end. Brazil prodigy Rayssa Leal, Jagger Eaton top podium in women's street and men's park in Chiba.

Another day at the X Games Chiba, another Japanese sweep.

This time it was in the men's skateboard street as Olympic champion Horigome Yuto won his second X Games gold medal in a rain-shortened final on Sunday (24 April).

Competing for the first time since his Tokyo 2020 win in 2021, Horigome led his country to a sweep of the medals along with 15-year-old Ikeda Daiki (silver) and Shirai Sora as the drapes came down on the first X Games to be held in Japan.

"I’m so happy," said Horigome, whose previous X Games title dates back to 2019 in Minneapolis. "This was my first event after the Olympics, in Japan as well, and I was really nervous.

"But a lot of fans came out; I never thought I’d see this many fans. I think it’s proof that skateboarding is becoming increasingly popular in Japan.

"And I’m glad I skated well enough today to meet all the expectations."

Rain peppered Chiba Marine Stadium from the morning. After the second run by the eight finalists the course was too slick, forcing competition to be called off and the standings stood.

But two runs were good enough for Horigome to show who was boss, leaving his seven competitors shaking their heads in disbelief.

Horigome, who had qualified first, flashed a couple of new tricks to seal the deal.

In the first run, he brought out a nollie backside 180 switch front Smith grind and in the second, a switch Tre flip lipslide.

Horigome said while he's done them from time to time in practice, he has never succeeded in a competition as big as the X Games.

"I was banking on the trick in the first run but I kind of messed it up. I was surprised to be in first afterward but I wasn’t happy with it at all. I’m glad I could pull off a different trick on the second run.

"The rain was what concerned me the most. We usually get three, four runs in but not today. There was no room for error which led to a bit of pressure.

"We were told worst case, we’d have one shot so I’m glad I was able to nail it when I had the chance. Everyone in the field was so good."

The 23-year-old is already eyeing the defence of his Olympic title in Paris in 2024.

"The next Olympics is two years away and that’s something to think about," he said.

"I think it’s a miracle the X Games were held in Japan. It’s been a dream competition of mine ever since I was a kid. I watched it all the time on TV.

"For that contest to come to Japan and for me to win it, I couldn’t be happier."

Rayssa, Jagger top podium for first time

In the women's street, Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Rayssa Leal came from behind to capture her first X Games gold.

The 14-year-old prodigy from Brazil had reached the final third behind Japan's Oda Yumeka and Nakayama Funa but all but secured the title with her first run.

Asked if the weight of superstar expectations had gotten to her in the elimination round, Leal said, "I was not worried. I have confidence in my skating. Everyday I train and I know what I need to do. But more than anything I am having fun.

"I am very happy to be in Japan again and to win another medal. Plus it makes me very happy to be with my friends and family (mother) supporting me so it is just incredible.

"Japan is definitely a good luck place. I win medals and I am with my girlfriends."

Like Leal, American Jagger Eaton captured his maiden X Games title in men's park, having claimed an amateur X Games crown in 2017.

But more than winning a gold, his fifth-place finish in the street seemed to be gnawing at him. Eaton won bronze in the street at Tokyo 2020 in 2021.

"I had a great day in park today, really stoked on how that went, but there's some unfinished business in the street", Eaton said. "I came here prepared and ready to lay all my stuff down but the rain caused a lot of trouble.

"I'm not taking this as a loss at all. I'll meet all those boys next week and we'll go at it again. This is a marathon. This is a battle that we lost but not the war."

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