Olympic big air gold medalist earns 69 score on victory lap final run – Insider

• Norway’s Birk Ruud won gold in the men’s freestyle skiing big air final at the Beijing Olympics.
• Having already secured the win ahead of his last run, the 21-year-old took an epic victory lap.
• Judges from different countries joined forces to reward Ruud with a 69 score on the meaningless run.

Norwegian freestyle skiing superstar Birk Ruud already had the gold medal squared away before lining up for his final run in the men’s big air event at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

So he took a victory lap.

With Norway’s flag in his left hand, the 21-year-old pulled out a massive rotation with a grab. He landed cleanly, then unfurled the red, white, and blue fabric behind him.

It was far from Birk’s most impressive stunt of the event, but it didn’t matter: the gold was already his. And the judges rewarded him regardless.

All six awarded him a cheeky score of 69 for the stylish, flag-waving final run.

Nice.

Ruud earned the first Olympic medal of his career with the stunning big air victory. And the feat came less than a year after the four-time X Games medalist lost his father, Øivind.

“Papa, you’re with me,” Ruud said to the cameras after securing his spot atop the podium.

If you’re based in the US, check out the entire event — including Rudd’s grand finale — on NBC’s website. If you’re elsewhere, check out the clip below:

—CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) February 9, 2022

—BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 9, 2022

—7Olympics (@7olympics) February 9, 2022