SHARJAH: Jagger Eaton, the American skateboarder, hailed a “miracle” men’s Park 2022 World Championships victory at Aljada Skate Park in Sharjah, while 14-year-old Sky Brown was “stoked” at becoming Great Britain’s first world champion in the women’s event.
An action-packed Sunday in the men’s event saw Eaton score a 93.00 for gold after landing an astonishing flip nose blunt and blunt flip out in his third and final run. After becoming Street world champion in 2021, the same year he won an Olympic bronze in the discipline at Tokyo 2020, the Park crown makes Eaton the first skateboarder to achieve the double-discipline triumph.
He was joined on the podium at Aljada Skate Park by the Brazilians Augusto Akio and Pedro Barros, who claimed silver and bronze respectively with 92.00 and 90.00 efforts.
“The run that picked up the win felt like a miracle,” said Eaton. “I’ve never put that run down — the trick I added I’ve not done one time and I just told myself ‘this is it, this is what it takes, I’m not going to get second.’ It feels great.”
Eaton, who finished sixth in the Street final in Sharjah, added: “To start the first Olympic qualifier off with a win, it just sets me up really good for Paris and I’m really looking forward to it. Winning gold at the Olympics is the goal — winning gold is the goal in any competition — but what pleased me most on Sunday was being able to compete with the best in the world. That’s all that any athlete dreams of — all of us going head-to-head. It’s so much fun, and I enjoy the competition. Win or lose these guys are my friends and it’s a great feeling.”
History was also made in the women’s Park 2022 World Championships in Sharjah, where Brown went into her third run already knowing she had won — only to score an even better 90.83 to bring home the gold in glory. Tokyo 2020 silver medalist Hiraki Kokona was an early frontrunner until Brown’s second effort but the Japanese skater’s 86.66 total still earned silver. Her compatriot Yosozumi Sakura, the Olympic champion, earned bronze through an 85.15 score.
Brown said: “I had a lot of fun, I’m just so stoked. I was so glad about what I did in my three runs. The best feeling was when I landed a back five because I didn’t really practice that for a bit so landing that felt really good. It’s a confidence boost for the Olympics. Winning a gold medal at the Olympics would be crazy, that’s the goal — and I really want to get in for surfing as well, which makes it a bigger goal, but I’ll try my best.”
Co-organized by World Skate and UAE-based master developer Arada, both the Street 2022 World Championships, the final of which was in Sharjah on Feb. 5, and the Park 2022 World Championships act as qualifiers for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Both final events witnessed totally full houses in the stands.
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal, vice Chairman of Arada, said: “Jagger and Sky’s gold medal success at the Park 2022 World Championships at Aljada Skate Park in Sharjah close an amazing two weeks of full to capacity, world-class skateboarding. The standard has been incredibly high, and we congratulate all the participants for putting on such an incredible show.
“The Street 2022 and Park 2022 World Championships leave an enormous legacy here, with vast potential for growth and development. Skateboarding is a rapidly growing sport across the world, and we are delighted at the popularity and success of Aljada Skate Park, which has become a regional hub. In the near future, it would be great to see a medalist from our region on the podium.”
As well as vital Olympic qualification points, each gold medal winner took home $50,000 from the total prize pool of $500,000 across both championships.
Men’s Park 2022 World Championships final results:
Jagger Eaton, 93.00 (US) 2. Augusto Akio, 92.00 (Brazil) 3. Pedro Barros, 90.00 (Brazil) 4. Kieran Woolley, 89.50 (Australia) 5. Tom Schaar, 87.70 (US) 6. Tate Carew, 85.13 (US) 7. Liam Pace, 82.50 (US) 8. Keegan Palmer, 21.00 (Australia).
Women’s Park 2022 World Championships final results:
Sky Brown, 90.83 (Great Britain) 2. Hiraki Kokona, 86.66 (Japan) 3. Yosozumi Sakura, 85.15 (Japan) 4. Kusaki Hinano, 84.50 (Japan) 5. Bryce Wettstein, 84.40 (US) 6. Lola Tambling, 81.53 (Great Britain) 7. Minna Stess, 80.33 (US) 8. Grace Marhoefer, 80.18 (US).