Japan impresses at X Games in preparation for 2020 Tokyo Olympics

While the U.S. and Australia led the medal standings at the X Games, the host country for the 2020 Olympics — Japan — made an outstanding showing. Japanese athletes won nine medals, including three Sunday during the final day of competition at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Aori Nishimura repeated as gold medalist in Women's Skateboard Street, with 11-year-old countrywoman Momiji Nishiya earning silver to become the second-youngest X Games medalist in history.

Yuto Horigome won the silver medal in Men's Skateboard Street Best Trick, to go with the gold he earned Saturday in Men's Skateboard Street. Overall, Japan won four gold, four silver and one bronze medal.

The U.S. finished the four-day competition with 28 medals, including six gold. Australia won the most gold medals (seven), half of its total.

Skateboarding will make its Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Games, with street and park events for both men and women.

Skateboard star Nyjah Huston wasn't going to compete in Sunday's Men's Skateboard Street Best Trick. After a silver-medal finish in Men's Skateboard Street on Saturday, the 24-year-old Californian was set to head home.

Huston said he got all the way to the airport before having a change of heart. He returned to U.S. Bank Stadium and topped a field of nine to win his first medal in the event. It was the 18th X Games medal for Huston, including 12 gold.

Alec Majerus of Rochester finished sixth. He started the competition and landed his first trick, flipping his board and sliding down a ledge.

Daniel Mischler defended his X Games title in Harley-Davidson Hooligan Racing, immediately opening a wide advantage in the 15-lap final to win by 3.348 seconds over Tony Alves.

Mischler's lead allowed him to race a tight inside line and avoid any contact or crashes in the six-rider field. He completed the race in two minutes, 49.077 seconds. Alves, 60, was the oldest competitor at the X Games.

The event included 48 amateur riders competing in preliminary heats, semifinals and finals over a ⅛-mile dirt oval inside the stadium. Mischler and his brother Eric are third-generation owners of a Harley-Davidson dealership in Beaver Dam, Wis., northwest of Milwaukee.

• Ivan Federico of Italy was a surprise winner in Men's Skateboard Park. Jagger Eaton of the U.S. was second, and fellow American Alex Sorgente — the defending champion — finished third.