"He Fell Twice and Sobbed in His Coach's Arms..." 17-Year-Old Juni Kang Wins South Korea's First-Ever 'Board Gold' [Nagoya AG]

[Financial News] He fell onto the cold floor twice in succession. Overwhelmed by the pressure, he broke down in tears in his coach's arms. Just when everyone thought the 17-year-old high school student had collapsed, his eyes suddenly hardened. Juni Kang, 17, the future of South Korean skateboarding, pulled off a stunning upset in the heart of Japan by defeating the country's world-leading skaters and winning South Korea's first-ever Asian Games gold medal in skateboarding.
Juni Kang recorded a final combined score of 180.85 in the men's street skateboarding final at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, held at Aichi Sky Expo Hall in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on the 27th. He finished a commanding first and stood atop the podium.
This gold medal carries significance far beyond a single medal. Since skateboarding was adopted as an official Asian Games sport at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, Juni Kang has become the first South Korean athlete, male or female, to win gold in the event. More importantly, he achieved the thrilling feat on the home turf of Japan, the world's leading skateboarding nation, by completely defeating its biggest stars.

The final was a grueling coming-of-age drama. Kang made a strong start with 84.83 points in the first attempt of the 45-second Run session, in which skaters freely navigate stairs and rails. He fell near the end of his second attempt and scored only 69.79 points. In the third attempt, however, he delivered a flawless run that even surprised him, earning 88.45 points and tightening the contest.
The real crisis came in the Trick session, which features individual high-difficulty maneuvers. Perhaps it was the pressure of the big stage. Kang attempted the signature move he had ambitiously prepared, an early back-three heelflip lipslide, but fell in both his first and second attempts, recording a fatal 0.00. After the second failed attempt, Kang stepped off the course, burst into tears and sobbed in his coach's arms.


But the heart beneath the Korean flag remained strong. After wiping away his tears, Kang climbed back onto his board and produced a miracle in the decisive final attempt. He landed a series of high-difficulty tricks with intense concentration, earning an astounding 92.40 points and putting the contest beyond doubt.
With a final combined score of 180.85, Juni Kang comfortably held off Japan's Toa Sasaki, who scored 172.35 for the silver medal, and Ginwoo Onodera, who scored 168.11 for the bronze, on their home turf. The 17-year-old overcame the torrent of tears and pressure on his own, coloring a new chapter in South Korean sports history gold.
[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter