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Beijing Winter Olympics 2022
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China’s Su Yiming is congratulated by fellow snowboarders after winning gold in the men’s big air event at the Winter Olympics. Photo: Xinhua

Winter Olympics: Su Yiming thanks parents, ‘my motherland’ after big air gold, and no judging error to deny him

  • The 17-year-old sensation tuns on the magic in his second run to ensure there would be no controversy this time with a convincing victory
  • ‘I know my parents are here today to watch my competition. I know where they are sat but I can’t get close to them. I’m just very emotional;’ Su says

This time, Su Yiming left no room for controversy. The Chinese teenage sensation turned on the magic for his second run in the men’s snowboard big air event to conjure a long-awaited gold medal at the Beijing Winter Olympics on Tuesday.

With freestyle skier Eileen Gu settling for silver in the women’s slopestyle, it was left to Su to carry China’s gold hopes and he did it in style.

Canada’s Max Parrot, who beat the 17-year-old to gold in the slopestyle last week despite a judging error, was too far behind Su to challenge and had to be satisfied with the bronze. Norway’s Mons Roisland claimed the silver after solid first and third runs.

“I’m really, really happy,” Su Yiming said, burying his head in his hands and tries to contain his emotions. “I know my parents are here today to watch my competition. I know where they are sat but I can’t get close to them. I’m just very emotional. Thank you, my parents, my coach, my motherland and everyone else for supporting me.”

Su, a former child actor who has lit up the Beijing Games, was second after his first run of 89.50 and then stole the lead with a stunning 93 in his second effort, enough to seal a gold to go with his silver in the slopestyle.

Parrot won last week’s slopestyle after judges failed to spot him grabbing his knee during a jump, which would have lost him points and given the gold to Su. Snowboarding’s chief judge later admitted that the results would have been different had the judges seen Parrot’s mistake.

China’s Su Yiming soars through the air in the men’s snowboard big air event on his way to gold. Photo: Xinhua

Su, however, made sure no one was close enough to deny him gold on Tuesday, with his total of 182.50, representing his two best runs out of three, far ahead of Roisland’s 171.75 with Parrot on 170.25. The only rider to score better than Su was Japan’s Takeru Otsuka, who recorded an amazing 95 on his second run but he finished ninth overall after poor first and third efforts.

The affable teen performed a token final run knowing he was the Olympic champion, hugging his coach before taking off and then landing to rapturous cheers from the crowd, while his rivals rushed to congratulate him on a well-deserved triumph.

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