Teen sensation Red Gerard nailed a tension-packed final jump on Sunday to win the slopestyle snowboarding and become the first Winter Olympic medallist born this century. Aged 17 and 227 days, Gerard handed the US their first gold of the Pyeongchang Games with his slopestyle win, making him the youngest US Winter Olympic champion since 1928.
Gerard, born on June 29, 2000, also set a record for the youngest gold medallist in any snowboarding event that was held previously by Kelly Clark, the 2002 women's halfpipe champion at age 18 years and 199 days. The first medallist born in the 2000's, Gerard is also the youngest US man to win Winter Olympic gold since 16-year-old bobsled driver Billy Fiske piloted a five-man crew to the title 90 years ago.
"I cannot believe it," Gerard said. "I'm shaking right now, maybe from the cold, or the excitement. I don't know. But I'm ecstatic. I can't believe it. "Just to land a run would have been plenty for me and to get on the podium, but to get first is crazy."
The 17-year-old landed a backside triple cork - a triple-twisting trick with a flip - to score 87.16 points on his final run to snatch victory from Canadians Max Parrot, who took silver, and Mark McMorris, who picked up a second bronze after Sochi four years ago. "I'm super-psyched!" said Gerard, who wants to attend film school for the next two years. "I'd have to guess people are pretty surprised," Gerard said. "I had a lot of fun and all I really want to do is just land runs."