Olympian Gus Kenworthy makes history by winning freestyle gold for Team Great Britain
Gus Kenworthy during the Dew Tour Copper Mountain 2020 in Colorado. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Gay Olympian Gus Kenworthy has made history by winning his first gold medal competing for Great Britain.
Kenworthy won a gold medal at the Calgary Snow Rodeo in Canada, in his first halfpipe World Cup competition in more than two years.
The 28-year-old skier, who switched allegiances in December 2019 when he left the US Olympic team to join Team GB, said it was “great to be back”.
Gus Kenworthy, who won a silver medal at the Sochi Olympics, is the first man from Team GB to win gold at a World Cup halfpipe competition.
He beat Canadian favourite Brendan Mackay and the USA’s Birk Irving to take the top spot with a score of 93.20.
“I feel great,” Kenworthy said. “It’s my first halfpipe World Cup in two years, and it’s my first competing under the British flag, and I’m just so, so happy.
“I landed a run that I’m happy with, the level of riding tonight was amazing, and I’m very happy to share the podium with Brendan (Mackay) and Birk (Irving).
“I didn’t want to come back to competition slow and just kind of half-ass it. I wanted to come back really aggressive and strong, so it feels good.
“I honestly didn’t know if I was coming back or if I was done competing, but I took some time off and really missed it. It’s great to be back.”
The Essex-born skier, who represented the US in the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics, will compete for Team GB in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
The out silver medallist, who was born in Essex to an English mother and American father, announced that he had switched his allegiance to Britain ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing to honour his mother.
Vicky Gosling, Chief Executive Officer of GB Snowsport, said: “We are delighted for Gus Kenworthy and his team. We have been working closely with him now for a few months and his transition back to snow has been great.”
