Mia Kretzer became the youngest X Games gold medalist – Orange County Register

Skateboarder Mia Kretzer competes during 2024 X Games Ventura at the Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura, CA. (Photo courtesy of Trevor Brown, Jr./X Games)

VENTURA — It was one for the ages on the second day of the Summer X Games on Saturday.

Mia Kretzer became the youngest X Games gold medalist in history when the 9-year-old from Australia won the women’s skateboard vert best trick on another blustery day at the Ventura County Fairgrounds.

Kretzer was already the youngest competitor in X Games history when she landed a double-revolution 720 on the second of five attempts to move into first place.

She had to survive five attempts at a 900 by 14-year countrymate Arisa Trew, the defending champion in the event who won last year with a 720.

Trew, who recently became the first female to complete a 900, narrowly missed on her final two tries on the halfpipe.

“I feel so happy,” Kretzer said. “It’s just amazing, crazy.”

Gui Khury of Brazil was previously the youngest X Games gold medalist when he won the men’s skateboard vert best trick in 2021 at the age of 12.

Khury won the event on Saturday with a high-flying 900 for his third X Games gold.

Ema Kawakami, a 9-year-old from Japan, also landed a pair of 900s to finish fifth.

The men’s skateboard park competition exploded into a showdown between the old guard and the new kid on the block.

Keegan Palmer put together the best run to win his first X Games gold medal on his third try.

The 21-year-old who was born in San Diego, moved to Australia when he was 1 and now is back in San Diego, earned a score of 93.00 to hold off veterans Alex Sorgente of Cardiff (91.33) and Pedro Barros of Brazil (90.33).

“My mind’s blown, dude,” Palmer said “Sorgente and Pedro Barros were my favorite skaters growing up. I watched them in X Games in Australia being like, “(Darn), I want to do that.” Now, being able to compete with these guys. … it still makes me speechless, man, it’s crazy.”

Barros, 29, owner of six X Games gold medals in park, set the bar early, earning a score of 90.33 on the first of three runs.

“The old me would’ve been stressing,” Palmer said. “I’ve learned to be able to do things to deal with situations like that. It’s helped, and I’ve been able to keep my cool and not stress out.”

Palmer moved into the lead on his second run. Sorgente also produced his best score on his second run, but it still kept him in second. Sorgente and Barros were unable to better their scores on their third tries.

“Every year, this sport, this discipline, park skating, is just getting gnarlier and gnarlier,” said Sorgente, who qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics with Team Italy. “The kids are just coming out and doing crazier and crazier tricks, so yea it just feels good to be back on the podium, it’s been a little while.”

The field was so competitive that the fourth and fifth place finishers, Tom Schaar and Gavin Bottger, each made the U.S. Olympic team in park last week after finishing in the top four in qualifying.

“Everybody who was in this field today was insane,” Barros said.

Watching the young skaters progress has pushed the 26-year-old Sorgente to keep up.

“They weren’t always on the podium and now they’re older and coming into their own and ripping really hard, so definitely skating with them is pushing me every time I come out to these events,” Sorgente said. “I’ve got to bring more to the table every time.”

Brady Baker defended his title in BMX dirt. The 21-year-old from Tom’s River, N.J. who spends a lot of time training in Lake Havasu, Ariz., posted a score of 94.33 on his first run and that held up through all three rounds.

Baker is still scheduled to compete in the park and dirt best trick events on Sunday. He sustained a head injury in the park best trick last year and left the venue in the back of an ambulance.

He was back on his bike a couple days later, however.

“Out of all of the homies, I don’t see Brady ever getting nervous or ever getting scared,” said Mike Varga, who won bronze in dirt. “He’s out there to have a good time and to hype all his friends up and just do the best he can, so I think that is, honestly, what’s making him the best.”