Seven things we learned from the Olympic Qualifier Series Shanghai

The first ever Olympic Qualifier Series (OQS) concluded in Shanghai on Sunday (19 May), with many of the world's top freestyle BMX riders, B-Boys and B-Girls, skateboarders, and sport climbers edging closer to securing a Paris 2024 quota.

The stunning Huangpu Riverside Urban Park provided the perfect backdrop as athletes across the four sports competed together at the same venue in a single urban sports festival for the first time.

A total of 464 participants from 120 national federations took part, with a 50-50 split between men and women.

Below, we take a look at the top seven things we learnt at OQS Shanghai.

• Qualification and points system unveiled for Olympic Qualifier Series
• BMX Freestyle at the Olympic Qualifier Series: Everything you need to know
• Breaking at the Olympic Qualifier Series: Everything you need to know
• Skateboarding at the Olympic Qualifier Series: Everything you need to know
• Sport climbing at the Olympic Qualifier Series: Everything you need to know

1 - Chinese athletes shine at OQS Shanghai

Fans at the Huangpu Riverside OQS Urban Park were spoilt for choice when it came to witnessing amazing performances from their local athletes.

The stand out moment came in women’s BMX Freestyle Park, where Sun Sibei, Sun Jiaqi and Deng Yawen secured first, second and third respectively. They were rightly celebrated with a sea of Chinese flags and a deafening roar of approval as they received their trophies.

In sport climbing’s speed finals, People's Republic of China's Zhou Yafei posted a personal best to win the women’s event, while Wu Peng took second in the men’s competition.

China wrapped up the OQS Shanghai with a bang, as LITHE-ING bagged second in the breaking B-Boys final

But it wasn't all about the podium-toppers.

Skateboarder Zheng Haohao who at just 11 years old showed maturity well beyond her years to place 20th out of 42 athletes in the women’s park, was a huge fan favourite and will be one to watch in the future.

Out of the 28 home athletes on show in the four sports, seven finished on the podiums.

2 - A successful new format for urban sports

The new sports format wrapped-up in a wider urban cultural celebration proved a hit with over 45,000 fans who attended the event.

On top of four days of high-octane sports competitions, the local organising committee treated the spectators to daily music concerts. They were accompanied by fashion shows and breaking battles.

The sports initiation sessions for each of the sports were just as popular, with kids surging towards them after each competition, keen to emulate the star performances they had just witnessed.

The event even caught the attention of Chinese sporting royalty, with NBA basketball legend Yao Ming spotted at the breaking competition.

3 - Jagger Eaton seals double podium finish

USA skater Jagger Eaton set himself the lofty ambition of competing in both the skateboarding street and park events at Paris 2024.

Despite the very fast turnaround times between his events, first and third placings in the street and park respectively proved that he has what it takes to get the job done.

It was a great sport overall for Team USA in Shanghai, with Chris Joslin third and Nyjah Huston fifth in the street, while Tate Carew won the men’s park event.

In the women's events, Poe Pinson grabbed fourth in street with Bryce Wettstein finishing seventh in park.

4 - New sport climbing format delivers drama

Sport climbing was a combined discipline at Tokyo 2020, and will separate into two seperate competitions - Lead/Boulder and Speed - for Paris 2024.

With athletes now able to focus on their specialities, Lee Dohyun took an unexpected first place in the men's Boulder & Lead at the OQS Shanghai.

With Boulder world champion Mickael Mawem having been eliminated in the prelims, it was expected that men's Olympic champion Alberto Gines or multiple world champion Adam Ondra would step up to take top spot.

Despite both of the latter two displaying excellent form in Lead and Bouldering respectively, it was Republic of Korea's Lee that showed superior consistency over the two events, topping the Lead wall in one of the most memorable runs of the competition.

Elsewhere, Indonesia's former world record holder Veddriq Leonardo shattered the Asian record several times to win a thrilling men’s speed event, and Zhou Yafei posted a personal best to win the women’s event in front of a raucous home crowd.

5 - Breaking

There were plenty of tight contests on the dancefloor at the Huangpu Riverside Urban Park over the two-day breaking competition and, as the judge votes showed, it was usually the B-Boys and B-Girls who had the best musicality and personal flair that got the edge.

In the men's event, B-Boy Lee proved that power moves alone will not be enough to win at the Olympic Qualifier Series. While his own arsenal was packed with complex spins and sharp footwork, it was ultimately the Dutch athlete's artistry and signature moves that won the judges over.

This was also the case for 40-year-old B-Girl Ayumi who managed to fight off rivals less than half her age thanks to a deeper understanding of breaking music and appreciation for classic moves, which the Japanese veteran jazzed up with her own unique interpretation.

6 - Jeanjean looking good for France at Paris 2024

BMX Freestyle Park athlete Anthony Jeanjean is dealing with the pressure of expectation ahead of Paris 2024.

One week after his World Cup win in Montpellier, the Frenchman’s astonishingly acrobatic first-round run was good enough to take top spot in the men’s final in Shanghai.

He has certainly given his rivals a lot to think about, with defending Olympic champion Logan Martin of Australia taking second, and Great Britain’s reigning world champion Kieran Reilly third.

But Jeanjean won’t be resting on his laurels. Straight after his victory in China, he stated that he would do everything in his power to win the next OQS in Budapest, from 20-23.

7 - Pressure mounting on Japanese star skateboarders

The OQS Shanghai proved to be a tough going for some of the pre-event favourites, like Japanese skateboarding street Olympic champions Horigome Yuto and Nishiya Momiji.

Horigome, who seemed to be carrying an ankle injury, was knocked out of the men's prelims by USA's Nyjah Huston, while Nishiya finished just outside the cut in ninth place in the women’s competition, struggling in the run section.

Elsewhere, men’s street world champion Shirai Sora failed to qualify for the final in Shanghai after only putting down one trick in five attempts in the semis, while women's street world champ Oda Yumeka failed to put down a clean run in two attempts and finished outside the prelims cut in 18th place.

The four skating stars will hope to bounce back in the second OQS in Budapest next month.