[JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK] Skateboarding Success for Japan as Sora Shirai Headlines in Tokyo | JAPAN Forward

Read the full story on SportsLook – [JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK] Skateboarding Success for Japan as Sora Shirai Headlines in Tokyo

The seventh event on the 2024 Street League Skateboarding Championship Tour calendar was held on Saturday, November 23 in Tokyo. And it was a banner day for Japanese skateboarders at Ariake Arena, where they earned four of the six trophies awarded.

Sora Shirai, the 2023 world champion in the men’s street competition, triumphed in that discipline on Saturday, amassing 36.8 points from his two runs. The 23-year-old Kanagawa Prefecture native also scored the highest mark on a trick (9.4 points) among the six men’s finalists.

Confidence in his ability to perform in the high-stakes pressure of the final paid off for Shirai, who finished fourth at the Paris Olympics. He cited his victory-clinching final trick as key.

“I knew I would be in first place if I decided to do it,” Shira said, according to Nikkan Sports. “I’ve always been frustrated because I couldn’t make a decision in such a spot, [but] I have grown up a little bit.”

Two-time defending Olympic champion Yuto Horigome was the men’s runner-up with 36.3 points. Chris Joslin of the United States earned a third-place finish (36.2 points).

Although he fell short of his goal of winning the competition, Horigome was pleased to have the opportunity to compete in Tokyo.

“This is my hometown,” he said, according to Nikkan Sports. “I have family and friends here, and I was happy to skate in a special place.”

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Strong Results for Japanese Women in Skateboarding Event

Of the six women’s finalists at the Street League Skateboarding competition in Tokyo, four were Japanese. 

Brazilian Rayssa Leal, the Paris 2024 bronze medalist, triumphed with 30.7 points.

Olympic runner-up Liz Akama also placed second in this event (30.1) at Ariake Arena.

“I’m glad I was able to perform my favorite move in my last run,” Akama said, according to The Yomiuri Shimbun. “I was able to show the audience my own style of skating.”

Paris 2024 women’s champion Coco Yoshizawa finished in third place (29.4 points).  

“I couldn’t get the run right, but I was able to perform the move I wanted to perform in Best Trick, so I’m satisfied with my skating,” Yoshizawa was quoted as saying by The Yomiuri Shimbun.

Also for Japan, Aoi Uemura and Yumeka Oda were fifth and sixth, respectively, with 20.5 and 13.1 points.

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A Look Ahead

The Street League Skateboarding Championship Tour wraps up its season with the Super Crown World Championship on December 14-15 in Sao Paulo.

Continue reading the full story, which also includes news items on sumo, soccer, basketball and more, on SportsLook.

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Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward‘s dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.