MILAN, Feb 10 (News On Japan) - The women’s snowboard big air final was held at the Milan-Cortina Olympics, where Beijing Olympic bronze medalist Murase Kokomo, 21, of TOKIO Inkarami captured the gold medal, becoming the first Japanese woman to win gold in the event and the first in women’s snowboarding history to reach the podium at two consecutive Olympics.
Iwabuchi Reira, 24, of BURTON, competing in her third consecutive Olympics, finished 11th, while first-time Olympian Suzuki Momo, 18, of Kirara Quest placed sixth and Fukada Mari, 19, of YAMAZEN finished ninth.
With members of the Japanese men’s team, including silver medalist Kimata Ryoma, 23, of YAMAZEN and Ogiwara Taiga, 20, of TOKIO Inkarami watching on, Murase landed a quadruple rotation on her opening run to score 89.75. She followed with a high triple-and-a-half rotation on her second attempt for 72.00 points. Entering her final run in provisional second place, Murase delivered a frontside triple cork 1440, a four-rotation trick, scoring 89.25 to secure a comeback victory and the gold medal.
Big air, in which riders compete based on the combined score of their two best runs out of three, was adopted as an official Olympic event starting with the 2018 PyeongChang Games. Murase had previously won Japan’s first medal in the women’s event at the Beijing Olympics. In the men’s big air final held on the 8th, Kimura Aoi, 21, of Murasaki Sports won gold and Kimata Ryoma claimed silver, marking the first time Japanese riders stood on the Olympic podium in the men’s event.
Source: TBS
