Aussie skate duo through to park final
Australia are right in the hunt for a first Olympic skateboarding medal with Kieran Woolley and Keegan Palmer progressing to the men's park final.
Woolley, 17, posted the second-highest qualifying score with an 82.69 which was only bettered by world No.3 Luiz Francisco, one of three Brazilians to reach Thursday's eight-man final.
Woolley's place in the final was already secure by the time Palmer's heat began, the 18-year-old joining his countryman in the final when his clean second run netted him a 77.00 to qualify with the fifth-highest score.
There was an early sensation when world No.1 and reigning world champion Heimana Reynolds was eliminated, the Honolulu native failing to finish any of his three rides in the event's opening heat.
That same fate looked set to befall fellow American and world No.2 Cory Juneau until he pulled out a 73.00 with the final ride of the preliminary round to squeak into the final qualifying position by 0.76 points.
The first rider to take to the bowl in the second heat, Woolley was all power and air in a flawless performance highlighted by a 'judo' - where the rider grabs the nose of the board at the top of the ramp and kicks their front leg out.
His ride finished a crash into a cameraman as time wound down, but it had no effect on his score.
"That was interesting, it was pretty sick to be honest," Woolley said of the incident.
"I hurt him a bit I think
"I had so much fun, and I'm glad all my friends killed it."
With a banker to his name, Woolley went for broke on his last two rides which both ended with falls.
Palmer went down on his first run in the last of the heats but made no mistake on his second, a 540 aerial the highlight as he ensured his progression.
