WST Rome Park World Championships 2023: Japan's Hiraki Cocona takes women's world title
"Happy" Hiraki was delighted after posting two of the best three scores in a high-class final ahead of teammate Kusaki Hinano and USA's Minna Stess.
Skateboarding
Japanese skateboarder Hiraki Cocona, was pleased to be back on the podium again after a sweeping victory in the women's final at the 2023 WST Rome Park World Championships on Sunday (8 October).
Despite suffering a crash in practice just before the main event, Japan's Olympic silver medallist from Tokyo 2020 posted a lofty mark of 92.08 on her first run.
She started with a huge backside nose grind and used the whole of the bowl with a front side nose grind and a backside ollie among her high-difficulty tricks.
Minna Stess of the United States moved into second with a second run of 90.80 which was capped by a spectacular kickflip indy just before time expired.
Kusaki Hinano spent a lot of time in the deep end of the bowl, but a big backside grab 540 was a showstopper and helped her to a table-topping 93.20.
But Hiraki - who topped the quarter-finals and semi-finals in the Italian capital - responded immediately, adding a no-grab backside kickflip to her opening run to score 94.54 which would not be beaten.
Stess looked on course to improve her score before falling with 10 seconds to go on her third and final run.
She was guaranteed a medal when Brazil's Raicca Ventura, who was fourth going into the final round, fell attempting a big Japan Air trick.
And when Kusaki crashed at the start of her third run, Hiraki was assured of the title.
"I'm happy to be the world champion for the first time," a pleased Hiraki told Olympics.com after her well-fought win.
After finishing in fifth at the previous Olympic qualifier in San Juan, the Olympic medallist said her focus had been on getting back on top, and that she successfully did at The Spot Skatepark.
"I was disappointed in Argentina and I didn't want to repeat it here in Rome," she continued explaining what the win meant. "I will now try to be top at the next competition in Sharjah."
Like her compatriot, Kusaki, who was recently crowned Asian Games champion in women's park, was similarly delighted with her result.
"I'm happy to finish in second," the 15-year-old told Olympics.com. "Winning at the Asian Games was my first top finish at an international competition and I tried to not get overexcited and carry that on at this event.
"I want to keep finishing in higher and higher positions to try to make sure I get a spot for the Olympics."
USA's Stess, who made the finals at the last World Championships in Sharjah, was at a loss for words when trying to describe what her bronze medal meant to her.
"I honestly don’t even know what to feel. I just feel like I’m in a crazy dream. It’s insane but I’m so stoked," she shared with Olympics.com after.
“I’ve been working really hard and I honestly didn’t think - not that I wasn’t capable - but I never usually try to think what place I’m going to get.
“I wanted to put in my back blunt and kickup indy in the same run because in the qualifiers before I’d been doing an axel saw and then an indy air I was like, if I put those two in I’m going to be so hyped because that’s my best run I can put down and I did so that’s what I wanted to do and it worked out great!”
Results from WST Rome Park World Championships 2023 Women's Final
- Hiraki Cocona (JPN) 94.54
- Kusaki Hinano (JPN) 93.20
- Minna Stess (USA) 90.80
- Raicca Ventura (BRA) 87.59
- Naia Laso (ESP) 86.25
- Lilly Stoephasius (GER) 84.79
- Ruby Lilley (USA) 84.40
- Yosozumi Sakura (JPN) 83.53