Olympics-Skateboarding-Japan's Horigome retains gold in men's street nail-biter

By Amy Tennery and Mimosa Spencer

PARIS (Reuters) -Japan's Yuto Horigome retained his Olympic title in men's street skateboarding in Paris on Monday, clinching the top of the podium on his final trick in a nerve-searing final.

Jagger Eaton of the United States upgraded his Tokyo bronze to Paris silver, while his compatriot Nyjah Huston claimed the last spot on the podium.

Horigome won it at the last moment with a flawless slide down the 10-stair round rail and a smile, underlining Japan's dominance the sport a day after his compatriot Coco Yoshizawa won the women's event.

"It was hard to make the podium this time," said Horigome. "The skate level's insane."

Eaton brought out some of his best material across the five tricks but could not catch Horigome, as he fell on his final attempt.

The competition was held under clear skies in sweltering heat after rain forced the postponement of the event on Saturday, while the competitors kept their cool in front of another packed house at the La Concorde venue.

Horigome looked every bit the favourite as he made terrific use of the course's 18 features in his opening run of the final, but the American Huston had the lead heading into the five tricks as he capped his second run with a nollie backside 180.

Huston, one of the biggest names in U.S. skateboarding since retired great Tony Hawk, was hungry for redemption after a shock seventh-place finish in Tokyo and tightened his grasp on the lead with a pair of high-scoring tricks.

But Eaton briefly took the top spot in the standings with a nollie 270 slide in his fourth try.

Horigome looked as though he might miss the podium entirely after falling on three of his first four attempts but pulled out a bit of magic to leap over the rest of the field at the last moment as Japanese fans cheered.

Horigome called it a "special moment" to compete in front of his fans after the COVID-quieted Tokyo Games but said he had a tougher road in Paris as the Americans Eaton and Huston pushed him.

"Everyone skated really good - they killed it," he said.

Eaton said he felt immense pressure to bring home a medal after reaching the podium three years ago.

"To go there and do that and upgrade what I did in Tokyo, it’s very special," said Eaton.

Olympic skateboarding will continue with the women’s and men’s park events on Aug. 6 and 7.

(Reporting by Amy Tennery and Mimosa Spencer in Paris; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Christian Radnedge)