Tokyo (AFP)

From the street to the top of Olympus: skateboarding made a remarkable entry on Sunday at the Tokyo Olympics with the consecration of the Japanese Yuto Horigome, in the most popular category of this sport, street, with particularly acrobatic figures. technical and creative.

At 22, Horigome became the first Olympic champion in the history of skateboarding in the empty park of Urban Sports Park Ariake in Tokyo, located in the district of Koto where the skateboarder was born.

World champion last June in Rome, Horigome was eagerly awaited in his country and he did not fail in the final to collect 37.18 points and the gold medal, ahead of the Brazilian Kelvin Hoefler (36.15 pts) and American Jagger Eaton (35.35 pts), who eclipsed his compatriot and street superstar, Nyjah Huston, only seventh (26.10 pts).

On the French side, the medal narrowly escaped Vincent Milou, 2019 European champion, who ranked 4th (34.14).

Aurélien Giraud, world No. 6 who appeared in the final with the best score in qualifying, finished 6th (29.09).

Horigome, who lives in Los Angeles like many skaters, excelled in street, one of the two disciplines offered at the Olympics with the park (or bowl).

In street, the skater must string together very technical tricks (figures) on modules reminiscent of street furniture such as ramps, while in park, the figures are aerial and delivered in a deep bowl with reliefs.

- The famous "Ollie" -

The title was played over two runs of 45 seconds each, followed by five tricks (all in turn), taking into account only the three best scores.

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Cap on the head - the helmet is compulsory only until 18 years old - headphones in the ears to skate to music and the loose T-shirt, the boys flew over the stairs reproduced in the playground from "ollie", the staple in skateboarding for forty years.

In 1982, Rodney Mullen launched in the street the famous "Ollie", a figure which consists in taking off with his board without holding it.

Skateparks then began to develop while skateboarders were accused of degrading street furniture and disturbed because they were too noisy with their boards.

- Back to real life -

Skateboarding is above all a way of life, with a free spirit and without constraints.

An attitude that has seduced many outside brands in the middle over the past fifteen years.

Skateboarding has become very trendy, sells and captivates a good part of the youth.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) saw it as a way of rejuvenating its audience.

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Entry into the Olympic program as an additional sport split the community.

“Some people see skateboarding as a real sport, some don't. I don't care what the sport is called, but all I can say is it's very different from other sports, it's very individual, everyone has their own style and does different tricks, "Nyjah Huston told AFP.

"People don't know what skateboarding is, maybe they'll take it more seriously thanks to the Olympics," he added.

The American said on Sunday he was impatient to get back to "the real life of skateboarding", that is to say making videos, going on tour for his sponsors, skating with friends.

The holy grail of a skateboarder is not the Olympics, but having a board in his name, which makes him a "pro".

Gold did indeed make Horigome happy.

© 2021 AFP