Japan's Yuto Totsuka won his first Olympic gold medal in the men's snowboard halfpipe at the Milan Cortina Winter Games on Friday as 19-year-old debutant Ryusei Yamada grabbed bronze.The 24-year-old Totsuka scored 95.00 points in the final at Livigno Snow Park to join 2022 champion Ayumu Hirano as a Japanese Olympic gold medalist in the event. Scotty James of Australia took his second straight silver on 93.50, topping Yamada's 92.00."I wonder if this is the first time I've shed a tear of joy," said Totsuka, who was 11th at the 2018 Games and 10th at the 2022 edition. "I was wondering if thi…READ FULL ARTICLE
