Chinese snowboarder Su Yiming stunned the sports world by becoming the first athlete to land consecutive 1980-degree spins during a training session, as verified in a social media post captioned "Happy to complete the world's first back-to-back 1980."
The Olympic gold medalist executed a flawless backside 1980 with a melon grab, immediately followed by an opposite-stance 1980 featuring a tail grab. This unprecedented combination highlights Su's technical mastery and ambidextrous skill – a rare quality in competitive snowboarding.
This breakthrough follows Su's successful completion of a 2160-degree spin earlier this year, cementing his reputation as one of snowboarding's most innovative athletes. The 20-year-old phenom continues refining his techniques ahead of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, building on his historic one-gold, one-silver performance at Beijing 2022.
Sports analysts suggest Su's latest achievement could redefine competitive standards in slopestyle and big air events. His progressive approach demonstrates the rapid evolution of winter sports in Asia, particularly following China's successful hosting of the 2022 Winter Games.
