45,000 fans attended the first-ever Olympic Qualifier Series. GETTY IMAGES

The Olympic Qualifier Series (OQS) concluded yesterday with the world's top freestyle BMX riders, B-Boys and B-Girls, skateboarders, and sport climbers vying for a spot at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 464 participants from 120 national federations gathered at Shanghai’s Huangpu Riverside Urban Park 16-19 May in the first of a two-part festival-style series.

American skateboarder Jagger Eaton edged closer to his dream of becoming the first skateboarder to compete at both Street and Park at the Games. He climbed the podium by finishing third in Park and winning Street and is now ranked number two in the world in both disciplines. 

"I definitely proved that it can be done, but the question is, can it be repeated? I’m very optimistic. My skating feels unbelievable." Eaton said, according to the Olympic Information Service (OIS).



Team USA was well-represented in skate with Chris Joslin in third and Nyjah Huston fifth in the street, while Tate Carew won the men’s park event. In the women's events, Poe Pinson grabbed fourth in street with Bryce Wettstein finished seventh in park.

Chinese athletes also shone on their home turf, and local spectators celebrated with a sea of Chinese flags and a deafening cheer as their local heroes took to the podiums. 



Sun Sibei, Sun Jiaqi and Deng Yawen secured first, second and third in BMX Freestyle Park. In speed climbing Zhou Yafei posted a personal best to win the women’s event, while Wu Peng took second in the men’s competition. Lithe-ing rounded out the victorious group, placing second in the breaking B-Boys final.

Sport climbing debuted a new format, divided into Boulder & Lead and Speed for the upcoming Olympics. 

Korean Lee Dohyun clinched overall first place in the men's Boulder & Lead and second place went to defending Olympic champion Alberto Gines of Spain.

"I didn’t feel any pressure but I was surprised (to top the climb). I am not very expressive, I am very calm normally but today I was emotional. I trained a lot for this and I realised what it meant." Lee told Olympics after.

USA's Brooke Raboutou is eyeing her second Olympic Games after winning the women’s Boulder & Lead event, dominating in Boulder where she finished 24.1 points ahead of China’s Luo Zhilu and Great Britain’s Erin McNeice.



Rider Anthony Jeanjean looks to another Olympics, this time on home turf. The Frenchman put on a stunning performance and grabbed the gold in Freestyle Park. Olympic champion Logan Martin of Australia came in second and Great Britain's reigning world champion Kieran Reilly third.

Japan stunned crowds with perfect scores in the breaking pre-qualifiers and ended up taking all three podium positions in the women’s finals: Ayumi Fukushima in first, Ami Yuasa in second, and Riko Tsuhako in third. Netherland’s B-boy Lee (Lee-Lou Demierre) battled China’s Lithe-ing and came out on top. Third place went to Hiro10 of Japan, who defeated a rival “ten”, HongTen of South Korea.

The Olympic Qualifier Series returns this June in Budapest.