Thunder clouds and rain storms were not enough to keep the die hard faithful and the athletes who push themselves to extremes from competing their hearts out in the 2016 ESPN X Games in Austin, Texas over the weekend.
After four days of competition and more than a dozen medals handed out, Sunday concluded with exciting competition in Moto X and Men’s Halfpipe.
Rain showers earlier in the weekend were not enough to dampen the mood for an event that once again saw the envelope being pushed. Jackson Strong laid down the best trick of the even with a forward front flip on a dirt bike. And Tom Pages pulled off this gnarly tail wind on a dirt bike in the Men’s Moto X Quarterpipe contest.
Tom Pagès is puttin’ on a clinic! #XGames pic.twitter.com/st5sY7YL71
— X Games (@XGames) June 5, 2016
Along with the medals and accolades, the event also honored long-time BMX and motocross athlete Dave Mirra who died from an apparent suicide in September. Athletes paid tribute to Mirra who in many ways pioneered the field of BMX free style.
Earlier in the day, Pedro Barros took the gold medal in the Men’s Skateboard Park finals. Barro is no amateur to the X Games having won park gold as a rookie in 2010. Barros trails only Mirra in first or second place finishes to start an X Game career in a single discipline. (Mirra in BMX Vert).
For more on the tribute to Mirra and highlights from the event watch the video below.
For more videos from Austin visit XGames ESPN
Photo credit: Sandy Carson/ESPN
