Sportsmanship shines at Asiad skateboarding finals

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Published: 25 Sep. 2023, 13:36 Updated: 26 Sep. 2023, 13:56

Sportsmanship shines at Asiad skateboarding finals

Japan's Hinano Kusaki, center is congratulated by fellow competitors after a strong run in the skateboarding women's park final at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China on Monday. [AP/YONHAP]

Competition was fierce at the women’s skateboarding park finals on Monday morning where 15-year-old Hinano Kusaki of Japan beat out stiff competition from Li Yujuan, 20, and Mao Jiasi, 15, of China to take gold.

Korea looks to shine as Asian Games begins this weekend

Korea’s Cho Hyun-ju, 16, narrowly missed out on a spot on the podium after falling on her final run.

Cho Hyun-ju of Korea falls during the skateboarding women's park final at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China on Monday. [XINHUA/YONHAP]

But outside of the bowl the atmosphere was very different. While the athletes all fully committed to their runs and competed fiercely for a spot on the podium, on the sidelines they were all smiles and quick to congratulate each other on their runs.

The sportsmanship on show at the QT Roller Sports Centre was clear despite the huge difference in ages between the competitors.

The two youngest, nine-year-old Paris Mazel Alegado of the Philippines and 11-year-old Lin Yi-fan of Chinese Taipei, were quick to hug and bump fists with their older competitors, even while struggling with their own emotions after falling on their runs.

Kusaki Hinano of Japan reacts during the skateboarding women's park final at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China on Monday. [XINHUA/YONHAP]

The life of the party was 17-year-old Nyimas Bunga Cinta of Indonesia, who was first at the door with a fist bump after every athletes’ runs, taking her own falls on the chin and focusing on enjoying the experience.

Even Cho, who was a strong medal contender until a fall at the end of her final run suddenly took her out of contention, smiled through the frustration first, even as she knew she had quite literally fallen out of medal contention.

Monday’s event was not the first time that younger competitors in board sports have put aside the serious competition off the pitch to bond over their love of the sport. At both the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the atmosphere at the skateboarding and snowboarding events was markedly different from elsewhere at the Games.

As of press time, skateboarding was set to continue on Monday afternoon with the men’s park finals. Twelve-year-old Moon Gang-ho and 19-year-old Han Jae-jin will represent Korea in the event.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]