2018 Winter Olympics: Colo. Snowboarder Red Gerard Wins 1st Gold

PYEONGCHANG, SOUTH KOREA -- Silverthorne, Colorado's teen slopestyle snowboarder Red Gerard was a surprised as everyone else when he won the first U.S. Olympic Gold medal Feb. 11.

"Holy s---!" the easy-going 17-year-old said when he saw his score at the bottom of his third run down the men's snowboarding course described as "video-gamesesque." His first two runs in in the high winds at Phoenix Park had ended in crashes, according to CNN. Gerard was the youngest American man to win an Olympic winter gold medal since 1928.

Gerard's final triple-cork 1440 elicited a gasp among spectators and won the hearts of the judges.

Gerard exhibited a "carefree spirit as light as a snowflake," Denver Post sports columnist Mark Kiszla wrote.

His family of six siblings and parents, originally from Cleveland, Ohio, celebrated at the bottom of the run with cardboard photos of his smiling face on sticks. Family also gathered in Rocky River, Ohio to celebrate.

Gerard told the Denver Post he didn't really follow the Winter Olympics. He said he grew up watching Dew Tour and X Games.

“The Olympics to me is just another snowboarding event. I’m just happy it brings everyone together and we can have a good competition,” he said.

Canadians Max Parrot and and Mark McMorris won the silver and bronze respectively.

Coloradans reacted with pride to our the new native's success.

"Amazing! So neat to see 17-year-old, Silverthorne resident, Red Gerard win the first #GoldMedal for the USA in his very first Olympics" Tweeted Denver Mayor Michael Hancock. "#GoRed."

Amazing! So neat to see 17-year-old, Silverthorne resident, Red Gerard win the first #GoldMedal for the USA in his very first Olympics. #GoRed #Olympicgames2018 https://t.co/6ujS40bzPJ
— Michael B. Hancock (@MayorHancock) February" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/MayorHanco... 12, 2018

See also:

Colorado's Redmond Gerard Offered 87 Burritos For Olympic Win

Image Screenshot via YouTube.