WST Street Skateboarding Rome 2023: Aurelien Giraud strikes again to top men's semi-final - Full results
The French world champion's statement final trick confirmed his spot in the final of the Paris 2024 qualifier along with Team USA stars Nyjah Huston and Jagger Eaton. Follow the action live in the final on Olympic Channel via Olympics.com on Sunday.
Skateboarding
World street skateboarding champion Aurelien Giraud continued his hot run of form to qualify in first place for the mens final at the WST Street Skateboarding Rome 2023 event.
The Frenchman, who topped Friday's quarter-final, claimed the number one spot in Saturday's semi's too, by putting down the highest-scoring trick of the night (92.34) with his last attempt. The win will mean he will start last in Sunday's final, streaming live on Olympic Channel via Olympics.com.
Also making the final cut of eight were Tokyo 2020 Olympians Shirai Sora and Gustavo Ribeiro. Japanese rider Shirai sparkled in heat one with the highest-run score of the night and had looked set to qualify in first until Giraud's final intervention.
Team USA will have two skaters in the final, with both Nyjah Huston and Jagger Eaton doing enough to make it through.
They will be met in equal numbers by skaters from Brazil with Felipe Gustavo and Olympic silver medallist Kelvin Hoefler qualifying in sixth and seventh place respectively.
13-year-old phenom Onodera Ginwoo was among those that were eliminated from the Paris 2024 qualifier. The world bronze medallist, who was carrying a wrist injury sustained from practice earlier in the day, only managed to put down one trick in the best-of-five segment.
Earlier in the day, Japan's Liz Akama finished the women's semi-finals in the top spot.
The competition will conclude with the women's and men's finals starting at 19:40 on Sunday.
WST Street Skateboarding Rome 2023: Men's semi-final results
Men's semi-finals - Saturday 24 June
The top eight progressed to the final.
How to watch WST Street Skateboarding Rome 2023 live
Livestream coverage of WST Street Rome will be available worldwide on Olympic Channel via Olympics.com and will begin with the semi-finals on Saturday 24 June and include the finals on Sunday 25 June. Full replays and highlights will also be available.
You can find all the latest on your favourite skateboarders including news, interviews and updates from Rome on Olympics.com and the apps for mobile and connected TV devices.