Keegan Palmer didn’t just win skateboarding gold, he obliterated the opposition in doing so to become Australia’s first medallist in the sport’s Olympic debut in Tokyo.
Palmer dominated the men’s park final, his best two rides both good enough to win gold when one was all he needed, the 18-year-old becoming the youngest Australian to win a medal in Tokyo.
“That is a such a huge honour and I am so grateful that I was able to do it for Australia,” said Palmer, who was born in the US, raised in Australia, and now lives in San Diego.
“It means the world to me because it’s where everything started for me. I’m so grateful and I just can’t believe it.”
Palmer was quick out of the gates, laying down a scarcely believable 94.04 with the first of his three runs in the eight-man final.
It was a new benchmark for the world No.7, with no rider even getting close to a 90 in the preliminary round.
The battle for the minor medals was intense – Brazil’s Pedro Barros claiming silver with a score of 86.14 and American world No.2 Cory Juneau taking bronze with 84.13.
Fellow Australian Kieran Woolley finished fifth with a best ride of 82.04.
But no-one could get close to Palmer, and just to re-assert his dominance over the field, he pulled out a 95.83 with his final ride to leave no questions as to who the rider of the day was.
“I wasn’t too nervous going into this one, I felt confident,” Palmer said with his thick American accent.
“I’m just so honoured to be standing here with those two guys – Pedro and Cory, I’ve known them since I was nine years old.
“Ten years later now we’re standing on an Olympic podium together, I just can’t believe it.”
Palmer was almost joined on the podium by Woolley.
Woolley had set the competition alight during the preliminary rounds when he posted the second-highest score to qualify for the final – the qualifiers claiming the scalp of world No.1 and reigning world champion Heimana Reynolds .
Palmer’s gold was Australia’s second of the day, coming just moments after Tom Green and Jean van der Westhuyzen won the K2 1000 metres canoe sprint.
It lifted Australia to 17 gold medals, matching their best-ever gold haul at the Athens 2004 Games.
AAP
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