Gympie connection to Aussie Olympic gold medal skater Keegan Palmer

A year and a half ago, Keegan Palmer was praising Gympie’s newly-unveiled skate park after shredding his way to a Skate Australia National Park Championship win. Fast-forward to August 2021, and the 18-year-old wonder kid is an Olympic gold medallist.

A year and a half ago, Keegan Palmer was praising Gympie’s newly-unveiled skate park after shredding his way to a Skate Australia National Park Championship win.

Tokyo Olympics 2021: Men’s park skateboarding, Aussie Keegan Palmer takes gold medal

Fast-forward to August 2021, and the 18-year-old wonder kid is an Olympic gold medallist.

Palmer became the first man to win the men’s park skateboarding event after he executed jaw-dropping run of 95.83 to take Australia’s 17th gold medal in Tokyo – ahead of Pedro Barros of Brazil and Cory Juneau of the USA.

Palmer came to Tokyo ranked seventh in the world, and was viewed as a dark horse in the inaugural park event due to months of inactivity on the global circuit due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Day 13. 05/08/21. Mens Skateboarding Final at the Ariake Urban Sports Park in Tokyo, Japan. Australias Keegan Palmer wins Gold. Picture: Alex Coppel.

But Palmer was simply too good for the competition on the world’s biggest stage.

“It’s a huge honour and I’m so grateful to bring gold back to Australia,” Palmer said.

“I’ve been working my arse off for a long time. It paid off today. I never would’ve expected it, I can’t believe it.

“It’s an absolute honour. I have no f***in’ words, man. It’s f***in’ insane.”

Skate Australia National Park Championship – Keegan Palmer Photo: Troy Jegers

Though born in the USA and of dual citizenship, Palmer’s loyalty to the green and gold has never wavered.

As a 16-year-old, he spoke to The Gympie Times shortly after winning the Olympic qualifying event in Gympie in January 2020.

“The bowl was really fun, it took a little bit to get used to, and it took a really long time to get used to the heat. It was hot out here man,” Palmer said at the time.

What a way to end the skateboarding! 🥇🥇🥇@keeganpalmer the first ever gold medallist of the Men’s Park Skateboarding...

Posted by Australian Skateboarding League on Wednesday, August 4, 2021

“It dried up really nice, everyone was getting a little nervous thinking it was going to rain out, but the weather held out and we’re just stoked.

“It’s a really good bowl the kids can use and get better with. (Gympie’s) definitely up there in my books, for sure.

“I’m stoked to come away with the win.”

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After doing the unthinkable in Tokyo, there is no doubt that globetrotting Palmer will be “stoked” for life with his new-found status as Olympic gold medallist for Australia.