When Teenage snowboarder Hiroto Ogiwara took to the slopes during an X Games competition, he had high hopes. The X Games this year were in Aspen, Colorado. Hiroto’s hopes were almost dashed before his first competition ride. He suffered a minor forearm fracture during a practice run but got clearance to complete by the event. He broke something else that day, too, when he established the snowboard record with the perfect execution of a 2340 mute grab.
Videos by InspireMore
When it was his turn for the men’s snowboard Big Air event, Hiroto launched off the ramp. He began spinning immediately, completing six and a half rotations while gripping his board. He finished with a perfect landing, crushing the snowboard record. After accidentally crashing into the crowd in his excitement, he got up to a loud chorus of cheers.
During a brief interview with Olympics.com, he said, “I am the first in the world to do that. I’ve never been as happy as this. It was really the greatest moment. It felt as if I used every ounce of energy I had.” The maneuver, a 2340 mute grab, netted him a score of 97.33 from the judges. He won the Gold Medal, finishing almost three points higher than the silver medalist, Taiga Hasegawa.
Hiroto’s accomplishment is the first known 2340 on a snowboard performed in competition. The next day, Miro Tabanelli of Italy landed the world’s first known 2340 in a ski competition. Miro scored 98 and plopped him soundly in the gold medal bracket.
Hiroto Ogiwara sealed his place in the snowboard record books with this incredible high-flying performance. The next Winter Olympic Games will occur from February 6–22, 2026, in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
Please share.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
Want to be happier in just 5 minutes a day? Sign up for Morning Smile and join over 455,000+ people who start each day with good news.
