(2nd LD) (Asiad) S. Korea wins gold in men's street skateboarding at Asian Games

South Korean skateboarder Kang Jun-i claimed gold in the men's street event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Sunday, marking his country's first skateboarding victory at the Asian Games. At the age of 17, Kang achieved a score of 180.85 points, surpassing Japanese competitors Toa Sasaki (172.35 points) and Ginwoo Onodera (168.11 points).

Skateboarding debuted at the Asian Games in 2018, with the sport involving riders performing various tricks and being judged on difficulty, execution, and originality. Competitors take part in two disciplines: street, which features tricks on a course with stairs, rails, and other obstacles, and park, which includes complex shapes and transitions.

During the run section, Kang scored 88.45 points on his third attempt, and in the trick section, he failed his first two attempts but secured 92.40 points on his third, contributing to his total score. Kang, who will be 18 soon, shed tears after winning the competition and again during the medal ceremony, expressing his joy and gratitude for his first gold medal at an international competition and South Korea's first skateboarding gold.

After failing on his second trick attempt, Kang vowed to push through and make the most of his Asian Games campaign, stating, "I trained so hard that I couldn't stop here." The teenager now sets his sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with the goal of becoming the first South Korean Olympic medalist in skateboarding.