Red Gerard is all smiles as he attends a press conference after winning gold
Red Gerard, one of the youngest members of Team USA, secured the country’s first gold medal in the 2018 Winter Olympics tonight.
Snowboarder Gerard, 17, who hopes to one day become a firefighter, turned the heat up on the freezing slopes to seal a late bid for Olympic glory.
He had been in last place before launching his board one last time at scintillating speed in the men’s slopestyle final at Phoenix Snow Park to beat all comers.
His family joined in repeated chants of ‘USA…USA’ as he acknowledged the cheers and applause from supporters.
With youth on his side and in 11th place out of 11 athletes left vying for the medals, the teenager could easily have been dismissed as having arrived at the Olympics a few years too early.
Red had been in last place before launching his board one last time at scintillating speed in the men’s slopestyle final at Phoenix Snow Park to beat all comers
But the Colorado based Olympian, who stands at just 5’5 and won’t turn 18 until June, finished the event with an incredible last run which saw him complete a risky last triple flip which shot his name to the top of the medal board.
The teen Gold medal winner said later: ‘It feels incredible. I’m just really happy that I got to land a run and I’m just really excited right now.’
Speaking of his gold medal clincher last run, he added: ‘It was awesome. I just told myself that I want to land a run… I was a little bummed on my first two runs because I fell a couple of times.
I’m just so happy that it all worked out. I was really happy when I saw I came in as first.’
Snowboarder Gerard, 17, who hopes to one day become a firefighter, turned the heat up on the freezing slopes to seal a late bid for Olympic glory.
Speaking of his very vocally supportive family he said: ‘I cannot wait to see them all and see what they have to say.’
He turned to hug his 18 family members, including his brothers who had introduced him to the sport at the age of two, as the crowd went wild with excitement.
Some had cardboard cut outs of the teenager’s face and carried the name of the boy who is the youngest of five brothers and second youngest of seven.
Gerard was excited, and stunned, by the late surge that took him to glory
He was encouraged to take up the sport due to his siblings. Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, he did not find it easy to do a lot of snowboarding.
But ten years ago his family decided on a trial move to Breckenridge, Colorado, where he was able to develop his skills further in ideal conditions.
He has a snowboarding training facility built by him and his older brothers at the back of his family home in Summit County, COwhich is equipped with down-bars, rope-tow and DIY jumps. Canadians Max Parrot and Mark McMorris took silver and gold.
The teen Gold medal winner said later: ‘It feels incredible. I’m just really happy that I got to land a run and I’m just really excited right now.’
Speaking of his gold medal clincher last run, he added: ‘It was awesome. I just told myself that I want to land a run… I was a little bummed on my first two runs because I fell a couple of times.
I’m just so happy that it all worked out. I was really happy when I saw I came in as first.’
Speaking of his very vocally supportive family he said: ‘I cannot wait to see them all and see what they have to say.’