Tokyo Olympic champion Sakura Yosozumi led a Japan medal sweep in women's skateboard park on Saturday in the X Games Chiba 2022, in the X Games' Japan debut.
The 20-year-old Yosozumi added the X Games title to the gold medal she claimed at the Olympics last summer, where she went in ranked world No. 2. After the eight-woman final at Zozo Marine Stadium east of Tokyo, she said she dedicated the win to her mother.
"I'm really happy because this is the first time the X Games have been in Japan and because today's my mother's birthday, so I really tried hard to win the gold medal," Yosozumi said.
"It was good to be able to perform a trick in a somewhat more difficult layout than in the Olympics.
The Tokyo runner-up, Cocona Hiraki, finished second again, with Mami Tezuka third.
"My first run, I was so nervous, but the second time around I skated really aggressively," Hiraki said. "The great thing was being able to compete against great athletes from around the world and see what cool things they can do."
In the men's BMX park, reigning Olympic champion Logan Martin of Australia added a fourth gold to his X Games medal haul, while Japan's Rim Nakamura finished sixth. Justin Dowell of the United States was second and Mexico's Kevin Peraza was third.
The three-day extreme action sports event wraps up Sunday with the men's skateboard park final and the men's and women's skateboard street finals.
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X Games: Japan's Rim Nakamura tops BMX Park qualifying
Skateboarder Horigome expresses excitement ahead of X Games Chiba
