Red Gerard took the Olympics by storm

Redmond Gerard, or simply “Red, is a 17-year-old originally from Cleveland, Ohio. He moved to Silverthorne, Colorado when he was eight, as his parents recognized his talent for snowboarding and wanted to nurture it. And nurture it they did. Red made the US Olympic team for the 2018 Winter Olympics at Pyeongchang earlier this year, and on February 11 he did the impossible; won a Gold Medal for his country in the halfpipe competition.

After falling on his first two runs, Red told NBC that he “just wanted to have fun” with his last run. He went on to score an 87, which moved him from last place into first. That score held, with big name riders like Mark McMorris and Max Parrot, who had medaled in this event before, coming up short of Red’s score.  Red and the world were stunned, so stunned that Red could be heard whispering an expletive under his breath as Max Parrot went on with his run. But Max only scored an 86, securing Red the gold and completing the miracle.

“It’s like he’s not even trying,” said senior Bryan Soder about Red’s run. “He goes out there to have fun, and his having fun is winning a Gold Medal at the Olympics. Insane.”

Red also competes in the Men’s Snowboard Big Air Competition, qualifying begins on Feb. 21. Although he did not win the event, Red will forever be an American hero not just for his slope skills, but for his and his family’s antics as well.

Red’s demeanor stems from his family, who also just want to have fun. The rowdy bunch, 23 people strong, all showed up to the bottom of the slope to cheer on their boy. According to NBC, Red received Snapchat videos from them on his ride of them partying heavily — getting “Gerarded,” they called it —  while he competed.

This is the same family that helped build Red his own terrain park in the backyard of his home in Colorado. Mr. Gerard told NBC that he “rode every day he could”.

Most people in campus have taken note of Red’s insanity as well.

“Red is the future. Watching him shred is the most amazing thing. He’s so effortless on the slope,” senior Gavin Prough said.

Red was not only the first Olympian born after the year 2000 to win a medal, he was the first American to win gold at the games this year. It wasn’t all perfect though; on the day of the event Red reportedly overslept and had to be woken up by his roommate, fellow snowboarder Kyle Mack, after the pair stayed up late on a Netflix binge. The problems didn’t stop there, as Red soon discovered he had misplaced his jacket and had to use Mack’s, who wasn’t competing that day, according to NBC.

“He is the epitome of millennial culture,” Ski coach Will Eberle said. “Lackadaisical and nonchalant right up until he has to perform.”