Hirano Ayumu: Fans react to Japanese snowboard superstar's amazing journey to Olympic Gold

Hirano Ayumu has brought the men's snowboard halfpipe to a new echelon.

The snowboarding superstar from Japan landed a pair of triple corks at the Genting Snow Park to win his first gold medal at these Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 after claiming back-to-back silvers at PyeongChang 2018 and Sochi 2014.

Hirano won with an incredible score of 96.00, while Australia's Scotty James (92.50) and Jan Scherrer (87.25) of Switzerland finished with the silver and bronze respectively.

Three-time and defending Olympic champion Shaun White, competing in his fifth and final Olympics at the age of 35, finished just outside the medals in fourth place.

'Ayumu' means "walks the dream" in Japanese, and Hirano is now living his dream.

Hirano has added to his already impressive legacy of becoming only the fifth athlete from Japan to feature in both the Olympic Summer and Winter Games.

Fans from around the world reacted and celebrated Hirano's incredible achievement.