When Rocky River native Red Gerard won the gold medal in men's Olympic slopestyle snowboarding, many were surprised the 17-year-old did so well in an event stacked with talent.
Perhaps most surprised was Red himself, who told WKYC's Will Ujek it was all "above me."
"I feel absolutely insane right now," Gerard said following the event. "I cannot believe what just happened...That was enough for me just to land a run, so to get first is crazy."
Gerard struggled on his first two times down the slope before landing an incredible 87.16 to shoot to the top of the standings. He chalked up his poor start to the windy conditions in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
"The wind [on] the first two runs [was] really bad, and I just got pretty lucky on my third run," he said. "I got a break in the wind and somehow made it through."
PHOTOS: Red Gerard wins gold in slopestyle snowboarding
Having moved to Silverthone, Colorado at the age of 7, Gerard has relatives and fans all over the country. He expressed extreme gratitude for all of them, especially those who journeyed with him across the globe.
"I'm trying to get these [interviews] all over so I can hang out with them," he joked.
