X Games athletes to watch

August 1, 2019 at 2:18AM
Minneapolis, MN - July 18, 2018: Jagger Eaton during X Games Minneapolis 2018 Press Conference
(Photo by Gabriel Christus / ESPN Images)
Minneapolis, MN - July 18, 2018: Jagger Eaton during X Games Minneapolis 2018 Press Conference(Photo by Gabriel Christus / ESPN Images) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

ATHLETES TO WATCH

Skateboarding/men's street and park

Jagger Eaton, Mesa, Ariz.

Eaton made his X Games debut in 2012 when he was only 11 years old, making him the youngest competitor in X Games history. He has a pair of silver medals in X Games Street competition and is set to perform in the Street and Park events this weekend.

BMX/men's park, dirt, best trick

Kyle Baldock, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Baldock owns quite the collection of X Games prizes: his 10 medals include multiple golds in BMX Dirt (three) and Park Best Trick (two). Another gold in Dirt would give him the most in X Games history in that event.

BMX/big air, vert

Mykel Larrin, Racine, Wis.

A popular and versatile athlete, Larrin owns a pair of X Games bronze medals in Big Air but has competed in multiple disciplines. He's a veteran of the sport at age 31 and has finished in the top six at X Games 11 times.

Skateboarding/women's street

Leticia Bufoni, Sao Paulo, Brazil

No woman has more X Games skateboard medals than Bufoni, whose 11 medals include five golds. She's a social-media sensation with 2.4 million Instagram followers and currently stands third in the Olympic qualifying rankings for Women's Street.

Skateboarding/women's park

Misugu Okamoto, Ama-Shi, Japan

A week before her 13th birthday, Okamoto was a runaway winner in the Women's Park event at the Dew Tour in June, the first qualifying event for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She's the current leader among a standout group of young Japanese women pushing skateboarding to new levels in a country that loves the sport.

Moto X/best whip, step up, quarterpipe high air

Jarryd McNeil, Yarrawonga, Australia

McNeil is one of the most frequent visitors ever to the X Games podium, with seven gold medals and 12 overall.

RACHEL BLOUNT


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Minneapolis, MN - July 31, 2019: Kyle Baldock during X Games Minneapolis 2019 Press Conference
(Photo by Josh Gateley / ESPN Images)
Minneapolis, MN - July 31, 2019: Kyle Baldock during X Games Minneapolis 2019 Press Conference(Photo by Josh Gateley / ESPN Images) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Minneapolis, MN - July 18, 2018: Mykel Larrin during X Games Minneapolis 2018 Press Conference
(Photo by Gabriel Christus / ESPN Images)
Minneapolis, MN - July 18, 2018: Mykel Larrin during X Games Minneapolis 2018 Press Conference(Photo by Gabriel Christus / ESPN Images) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Shanghai, ROC - June 1, 2019: Gold medalist Leticia Bufoni during the medal ceremony after competing in Women's Skateboard Street at X Games Shanghai 2019
(Photo by Brett Wilhelm / ESPN Images)
Shanghai, ROC - June 1, 2019: Gold medalist Leticia Bufoni during the medal ceremony after competing in Women’s Skateboard Street at X Games Shanghai 2019 (Photo by Brett Wilhelm / ESPN Images) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Boise, ID - June 29, 2019 - Rhodes Skate Park: Misugu Okamoto competing in Women's Skateboard Park during the Road to X Games: Boise Park Qualifier 2019
(Photo by Eric Lars Bakke / ESPN Images)
Boise, ID - June 29, 2019 - Rhodes Skate Park: Misugu Okamoto competing in Women’s Skateboard Park during the Road to X Games: Boise Park Qualifier 2019 (Photo by Eric Lars Bakke / ESPN Images) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Minneapolis, MN - July 21, 2018 - U.S. Bank Stadium: Jarryd McNeil at the medal ceremony for LifeProof Moto X Step Up during X Games Minneapolis 2018
(Photo by Matt Morning / ESPN Images)
Minneapolis, MN - July 21, 2018 - U.S. Bank Stadium: Jarryd McNeil at the medal ceremony for LifeProof Moto X Step Up during X Games Minneapolis 2018(Photo by Matt Morning / ESPN Images) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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