Nevada’s David Wise wins gold again in halfpipe skiing

The Associated Press

7 years ago

Gold medal winner David Wise, of the United States, celebrates after the men’s halfpipe finals at Phoenix Snow Park at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

David Wise, of the United States, jumps during a training run prior to the men’s halfpipe finals at Phoenix Snow Park at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

A fan of David Wise, of the United States, watches during the men’s halfpipe final at Phoenix Snow Park at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

David Wise, of the United States, crashes during the men’s halfpipe final at Phoenix Snow Park at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

David Wise, of the United States, jumps during the men’s halfpipe finals at Phoenix Snow Park at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

David Wise, of the United States, runs the course during the men’s halfpipe final at Phoenix Snow Park at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Gold medal winner David Wise, of the United States, celebrates after the men’s halfpipe finals at Phoenix Snow Park at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

From left; Bronze medal winner Nico Porteous, of New Zealand, gold medal winner David Wise, of the United States, and silver medal winner Alex Ferreira, of the United States, the men’s halfpipe finals at Phoenix Snow Park at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Gold medal winner David Wise, of the United States, right, embraces silver medal winner Alex Ferreira, of the United States, after the men’s halfpipe final at Phoenix Snow Park at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

American freestyle skier David Wise has successfully defended his gold medal, breaking through on his final run to give the United States its third gold in the Phoenix Snow Park halfpipe.

Wise wiped out on his first two runs before sneaking past countryman Alex Ferreira on his third with a score of 97.20. Wise landed double corks in all four directions — front left, front right, switch (backward) left and switch right — a goal he set for himself entering these games.

It’s the seventh gold for the U.S. in Pyeongchang, five of which have come at Phoenix Snow Park. Chloe Kim and Shaun White won snowboard halfpipe gold last week, and Red Gerard and Jamie Anderson won at snowboard slopestyle.

Ferreira took silver with 96.40 points, and 16-year-old Nico Porteous from New Zealand got bronze.

Porteous got the Kiwis’ second medal of the day after snowboarder Zoi Sadowski Synnott won bronze in Big Air earlier Thursday to end a 26-year Winter Games drought for New Zealand.