Taka Higashino steals the show in Moto X Freestyle final on opening night of X Games
Japan’s Taka Higashino celebrated a night of success after claiming top honours in the first gold medal event at this year’s X Games, Moto X Freestyle final, which went down at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, June 28.
Finishing just behind him in runner-up place was New Zealand’s Levi Sherwood, while the last remaining spot on the podium was claimed by America’s Javier Villegas.
Despite being a regular in X Games since 2007, Higashino had only managed to make it to the podium once and that too in Moto X Best Trick. However, the 27-year-old Osaka-based rider managed to convert the stats in his favour after claiming the highest spot
on the podium at the Moto X Freestyle final.
Competing against the world’s best riders at the biggest stage of action sports, Higashino stepped up to put on a performance that left everyone in attendance thoroughly impressed. The Japanese rider did not waste any time in the final to unveil his best
tricks. Looking to blow away the judges and audience from the start, he landed a Kiss of Death flip, a heel-clicker flip, a massive no-handed Superman air to holy grab and a never-before seen back-flip Rock Solid double grab, The effort earned him an average
score of 93.33 points, which held up until the end to earn him his first-ever X Games gold medal.
“It's too exciting: It's like a dream, it's like it's not true,” said Higashino, thrilled after the final results were displayed. “This is my dream. It's crazy! I've been working hard every day for five years, thinking, 'I wish I wish I wish' and I've spent
all of my life working on this X Games dream. It was all about that Rock Solid for me. After landing that I don't even remember anything else from my run.”
The 20-year-old Sherwood was nothing short of impressive during the final, earning a 91.33 off his first run and improving his score to 91.66 in the second run, which served to earn him in runner-place and thus earn him a silver medal.
Villegas and his fellow countryperson Nate Adams found themselves competing for the last remaining spot on the podium. Their decision went down to a tie-breaker, with the scores by all five judges getting considered to score their second runs instead of
the top-three. The 28-year-old Villegas ended up clinching the bronze medal after getting a score of 88.66 for his second run against his rival’s 88.66, who had to consequently settle for a fourth-place finish.
The rider of the night, Higashino, will continue his X Games campaign with the Moto X Best Trick event on Friday, June 29.
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