Congrats are in order for Marcus Kleveland!
The 18-year-old professional snowboarder snagged the coveted gold medal in the Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle competition on Saturday (January 27) at X Games Aspen 2018 — making this his second medal during this year’s games as well as the 2x defending champion of the discipline.
X Games Aspen 2018 Day 3 Recap – January 27, 2018
Repeating his performance from last year, the Norwegian rider showed off his talent with a 270-on, inverted 450-off the rainbow rail up top before finishing of his run with a cab 1620 triple cork and a backside 1440 triple cork on the final two jumps.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BefyRiHnfBY/?taken-by=marcuskleveland
“Another gold — it’s unbelievable!” Kleveland said to the crowd seconds after hearing he won the competition. “Just to be here has been my dream since I first saw X Games on TV when I was a kid.”
Rounding out the podium was 21-year-old Darcy Sharpe, who put down a silver medal effort earning his first X Games medal, while four-time Slopestyle gold medalist Mark McMorris took bronze.
Celeb Secrets caught up with Kleveland moments after winning the gold medal at the base of Buttermilk Mountain on Saturday. In the Q&A below, he talks about how he managed to walk away with a win, what motivates him when he’s competing, and how excited he is to head to Pyeongchang for the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Keep up with Kleveland by following him on Instagram at @marcuskleveland and watch his winning run:
Celeb Secrets: Congrats on winning a gold medal here in Snowboard Slopestyle! How does it feel to come out here and defend your title?
Marcus Kleveland: “It feels amazing to have another gold medal. I’ve been having a rough week and my body felt so sore. I was not feeling it today, but I managed to walk away with a win so I’m super happy.”
CS: And I know you took home the silver last night in Big Air as well — what motivates you to win when you’re competing?
MK: “When you’re in the zone with other people that are in the zone throwing down big tricks, the adrenaline kicks in and pushes me to land my run.”
CS: Snowboarding is progressing so much. How do you feel about the way it’s moving, where do you think you fit in with this shift, and what are you going to do to stand out in future competitions?
MK: “I don’t know actually. I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing and hopefully that turns out well for me.”
CS: You’re heading to Pyeongchang in a few weeks to represent Norway. Are you excited to compete in the Olympics?
MK: “Oh yeah, I’m super hyped. I leave soon to go practice and I can’t wait.”
