Australian snowboard star Scotty James “is over the moon” after winning silver in a pulsating Olympic halfpipe final.
It took a boundary-pushing performance from Japanese star Ayumu Hirano with the last run of the final to snatch the gold from James’ grasp.
Hirano scored 96.00 to best James, who fell on his third and final run, but had taken the lead with his outstanding second run of 92.50.
American legend and three-time Olympic champion Shaun White was emotional as he ended his career with fourth place, while at the other end of the spectrum, 16-year-old Australian Valentino Guseli took sixth in an impressive Games debut.
Australia now has three medals at the Beijing Games, equalling its best haul at a Winter Olympics.
Jakara Anthony won gold in the moguls and Tess Coady took bronze in slopestyle.
Australia has won 17 Winter Olympics medals in total – six gold, five silver and six bronze.
James added to the bronze he won at the last Olympics.
“I really hope people don’t think that I’m at all disappointed – I am absolutely, incredibly over the moon,” James told the Seven Network.
“I came out and gave it my best shot … I’m absolutely thrilled.”
He heaped praise on Hirano, who had won silvers at the last two Olympics, saying: “he speaks for himself, he’s an incredible rider and I look forward to having many, many healthy battles with him in the future.”
Asked if he would look to the next Winter Games in Italy, James replied “absolutely.
“I need to finish off my collection for the pool room with gold in Italy and Italy is one of my favourite countries,” he said.
The final came down to the last two runs, with James against Hirano as the top two qualifiers.
James, who had qualified second, failed to nail his run and that meant he was relying on the score from his second run to clinch the gold medal.
But Hirano rose to the occasion with a run that put the result beyond doubt.
Swiss Jan Scherrer won bronze after scoring 87.25 in his second run.
White, nicknamed the Flying Tomato and an all-time Winter Olympics great, fell on his last run before retirement.
His 85.00 second run was good enough for fourth and he was emotional as the small crowd gave him a rousing send-off.
“It’s hard for me to not get hung up on that last run – I wanted it so badly,” said the man nicknamed the Flying Tomato.
“I don’t know why, my leg was just giving out during my runs.
“I’m proud to be here for my final goodbye. so thank you.”
James, who won bronze at the 2018 Olympics, posted 92.50 with his second run to take the lead, with Hirano next after 91.75 in his second run as well.
Guseli posted 75.75 with his first run to take second spot and improved to 79.75, then posted 79.75 in his third run to confirm sixth spot.
James didn’t get off to the start he was after, falling on his second trick during his opening run – a switch back cav – and failed to post a decent score.
Hirano also failed to complete his first run, but the two men then cranked it up in the second run with four-time Olympian James delivering the run he was after, stomping two double cork 1440s as well as some stylish tail grabs to take the lead..
Hirano went all out and landed the triple cork but it wasn’t enough to top James’ technically superior effort and he sat second ahead of their epic finish to the final.
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