Lausanne, Switzerland, January 22, 2020: Japan finished the snowboard competition of the Winter Youth Olympic Games on a high by winning both gold medals in the women’s and men’s big air events on Wednesday – the closing day of Lausanne 2020.
Hinari Asanuma, 17, won the women’s big air gold medal, 12 points ahead of Germany’s Annika Morgan. Melissa Peperkamp (NED) took bronze.
For gold medallist Asanuma, victory was the culmination of an enjoyable Winter YOG.
“I am happy with my gold medal. I did my best today,” she said. “My effort paid off. The Youth Olympics were a lot of fun and I was happy with the experience.”
Japan had even more success in the men’s snowboard big air competition as Ryoma Kimata, also 17, won gold with an impressive score of 195 points. Kimata was first in all five runs – two in qualification and three in the final.
His teammate Aoto Kawakami finished with silver.
“Winning the gold medal was the best feeling ever,” Kimata said. “The secret of our success is that we have a facility with a mat so we can practise in the summer.”
The bronze went to Canada’s Liam Brearley, his third medal of the Games.
Source: Olympic Information Service