In a historic achievement for South Korean skateboarding, Kang Jun-yi, born in 2008 and a student at Seoul Yeongdeungpo High School, secured the gold medal in the men's street skateboarding final at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on September 27. Competing at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, Kang recorded a total score of 180.85, combining a run score of 88.45 and a best trick score of 92.40.
Kang outperformed Japan's top competitors, Sasaki Doa, who scored 172.35, and Onodera Kinu, who scored 168.11, to claim the gold medal.
This marks the first time a South Korean athlete has won a gold medal in skateboarding since the sport was officially included in the Asian Games in 2018. Previously, the best result for South Korea was a bronze medal won by Nam Joo-won in men's street skateboarding at the 2018 Games.
The final consisted of three runs, where competitors could freely navigate the course for 45 seconds, and three attempts at a single high-difficulty trick, with the highest scores being combined. Kang delivered a flawless performance in his third run, earning 88.45 points.
However, he faced challenges in the first two attempts of the best trick segment, where he attempted a complex maneuver known as the 'early back three heel flip lip slide' but fell, resulting in zero points. In a dramatic turnaround, he successfully executed the trick in his final attempt, scoring 92.40 points and clinching the top position.
This gold medal is particularly significant as it comes after Kang's recovery from a serious injury. In May 2022, he suffered a severe injury when a bone near his knee detached. Opting for rehabilitation over surgery, he was unable to compete at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.
Kang's recent success on the international stage has culminated in this Asian Games victory. He began his winning streak with a victory at the 2024 Tampa Am, followed by a win at the Street League Skateboarding (SLS) debut in April and consecutive wins in the best trick category at the X Games this year.
Meanwhile, fellow competitor Lee Jun-seung finished fifth in the men's street final with a total score of 124.95. In the women's street final, Shin Ji-yul placed fourth with 153.29 points, while Park Ji-bin finished eighth with 58.47 points.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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