Monster Energy Athletes Win Multiple Medals on X Games New Orleans 2026 Opening Day

Japan's 15-year-old Mizuho Hasegawa headlined Day 1 of X Games New Orleans 2026 with a Women's Skateboard Vert gold medal.

A 15-year-old from Ibaraki, Japan made the biggest splash on the opening day of X Games New Orleans 2026, as Mizuho Hasegawa claimed gold in Women's Skateboard Vert. Fellow Japanese skater Asahi Kaihara, 19, from Osaka, earned bronze in the same event, giving Japan two of the three podium spots in that discipline. In BMX Street, 30-year-old Boyd Hilder of Gold Coast, Australia, secured a bronze medal. On the skateboarding side, 16-year-old Julian Agliardi of Long Beach, California, took bronze in Men's Skateboard Street Best Trick, while Moto X Best Whip also saw competition on the day. All of the highlighted athletes compete under the Monster Energy sponsorship banner. The results represent Day 1 of the 2026 edition of X Games, held in New Orleans, with additional events and medal rounds expected across the remainder of the competition.

Why it matters

X Games New Orleans 2026 marks a major stop in action sports' premier competition calendar, drawing top international athletes across skateboarding, BMX, and Moto X disciplines. The strong showing by teenage competitors, including a 15-year-old gold medalist, underscores a generational shift in elite action sports.

What's next

Additional events and medal competitions are scheduled across the remaining days of X Games New Orleans 2026.

Key facts

Bias & framing notes

All three sources appear to republish the same Monster Energy press release verbatim, meaning coverage is entirely from the sponsor's perspective with no independent journalism. No non-sponsor athletes or results are mentioned, and no broader event context is provided. The story should be read as promotional content rather than independent reporting.

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