Abramenko shines in men's aerials finals
Aug 31, 2018·Freestyle
PyeongChang (KOR) - The men's aerials finals also brought out the best from Oleksandr Abramenko (UKR), who won gold with a near-perfect back-full-full-double-full which earned him a score of 128.51.
With his top podium finish on Sunday Abramenko became the first man to win gold for Ukraine at the Olympic Winter Games.
"When I saw the last score by the Chinese competitor, I realised I had won the gold medal and it was crazy," Abramenko said. "I have dreamed about this moment from my young years, when I started doing freestyle skiing, and right now it's come true."
Silver went to Jia Zongyang (CHN) who was the last athlete to jump and waited nervously for his score of 128.05 while Ilia Burov (OAR) took bronze with 122.17.
Jia became the first man to win multiple medals for China in a snow sport at the Winter Games. Jia took bronze in this event in 2014.
"Mostly I have regrets, but because I did my best I have to besatisfied with the result. The other competitors were also very strong." Jia said.
China has now won 11 medals in freestyle skiing. It has only won more in short track at the Winter Games, 31.
"This medal means a lot to me, I have no words. I'm just very proud." stated Burov who rounded out the men's podium on Sunday.
World champion Jonathon Lillis of the USA missed the cut for the six-man final, having top-scored in the previous day’s qualifying with 127.44 points, while Sochi 2014 silver medallist David Morris of Australia went out in Final 1.
Competing in his fourth Olympics, 33-year-old defending Olympic champion Anton Kushnir of Belarus failed to qualify for the finals altogether.
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