X Games Minneapolis
industry when he announced his retirement
from X Games competition at Minneapolis. 8. COLTON WALKER CRUSHES
EVERYONE
With a staggering 14 gold medals in his
26-medal haul, the Brazilian-born Burnquist is
one of the greatest skaters of all time, but has
decided that his time competing at X Games
contests is over. Still brimming with stoke after dominating the
Nitro World Games Triple Hits contest for the
second year in a row, Minnesota-born Colton
Walker came into his hometown event with his
tail up and his confidence at an all-time high.
Right from the get-go it was clear the 19-year-
old was gunning for a medal in his first-ever X
Games BMX Dirt comp. Every time he hit the
course he displayed a precise, controlled style
that belied the fact he was one of the youngest
in the field.
“X Games is such a great part of my story,
but that competitive side is a lot of pressure,”
he explained afterward. “Twenty-six years of
getting into that mode takes a certain amount
of energy, and what am I trying to prove?
Another medal? I feel like I’ve done it and
accomplished it, and I want to start a new
phase. I’m not done competing, and to me
there’s no such thing as retiring. But when
it comes to X Games and that competitive
history, it’s over. And that’s okay.”
After the event and away from the public eyes
and cameras, Burnquist sat down under the
ramp by himself and cried.
“I had this flush of emotion and I cried intensely.
I was so thankful and I felt so blessed.”
r TOP LEFT: He
may not have been
shooting for a medal,
but Burnquist still
had some insane
moves to throw.
BOTTOM LEFT:
Walker shows a
level of cool in his
first ever X Games
appearance that
should see him go far.
But it was his second run that stood out and
saw the rookie claim his first-ever X Games
gold. Walker stomped a Barspin Tailwhip Flip
on the first hit, to a 360 Tailwhip to Barspin,
to 360 Double Downside Tailwhip to Barspin.
Then, to add an exclamation point and really
drive the point home, he threw a Flair Tailwhip
to Catch Barspin on the quarter-pipe. The level
of BMX riding across the disciplines continues
to surge unabated. u
Thanks for all the memories, Bob. You’ve been
a massive inspiration to watch every year.
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