Norway’s Birk Ruud scores all 69s in big-air gold medal victory lap

Birk Ruud of Norway celebrates after a "nice" run at the men's freestyle skiing big air finals. Photo: AP Photo // Jae C. Hong

BEIJING — Norway’s Birk Ruud was awarded a gold medal on Wednesday in the Olympic’s first men’s freestyle skiing big air event at the former Shougang Group steel mill.

The 21-year-old had already secured victory prior to his final run, so he took a victory lap with the Nordic country’s red and indigo blue flag in hand — which the judges awarded with a round of 69s.

Nice.

Birk Ruud not needing his 3rd run to win and all the judges unanimously giving him 69 is, and will be, the greatest thing to occur at this Olympic games pic.twitter.com/3e8GTmxL1m

— 404: Nick Not Found (@nickcatelli) February 9, 2022

Park City’s Colby Stevenson finished with the silver medal, and Winter Sports School grad Alex Hall came in at eighth.

Ruud lost his father last year due to cancer, and at end of his final run, cameras caught him saying, “Papa… You’re with me.”

#freeski #bigair #Olympics #birkruud 🇳🇴

带着国旗的最后一跳 pic.twitter.com/37ATlp0m4Q

— mimiyu (@mimiyu29572023) February 9, 2022