Medals update: USA dazzler Alex Hall dominates for freeski slopestyle gold

Team USA’s Alex Hall put down a huge run midway through the first round that ended the competition before most of the pack even had a chance to get their bearings in the Beijing 2022 men's freestyle skiing slopestyle finals.

With unmatched creativity and innovation, Hall had the rest of the field chasing his big score of 90.01 through two and half rounds. And the best efforts of some of the best freeskiers on the planet proved all in vain.

Fellow American Nick Goepper followed Hall onto the podium with the silver (his third Olympic medal) while Jesper Tjader of Sweden took the bronze in the best-run-of-three contest from the Genting Snow Park which saw only 11 athletes compete after Switzerland’s Kim Gubser pulled out before the start with injury.

Hall laid down the only 90+ score of the day with a run that was highly technical, wildly progressive – and loaded with style.

Hall tiptoed through the rails is his usual inimitable way before unleashing a massive double-cork on the first jump feature. He followed that up with an innovative bounce off the knuckle in the wave section of the second jump and then, finally, capped the run with a double-ten (pulled back a half rotation at the end) to land switch (backward).

The judges, clearly impressed, handed the American a 90.01 which saw him take full control of the competition early.

Hall’s second run was similar to his first and earned him a score of 86.38 – more than the top score of the ten other skiers at the stage.

The chasing field pushed the limits in the final round, trying to lay a glove on Hall by going big and spinning hard. But it wasn’t to be as the 23-year-old American’s progression and style were deserving of a first Olympic gold medal.

USA teammate Goepper – who