Norway's Birk Ruud claimed the Olympic gold medal in the men's freeski big air final at Beijing 2022 ©Getty Images

Norway's Birk Ruud claimed the gold medal in the inaugural men's freeski big air final less than a year after the death of his father, with two excellent efforts at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games here.

The 21-year-old was bold from the word go, scoring the highest mark of the competition in his first run with 95.75 points from a switch left triple 1980 mute, setting the standard for a competitive battle for the gold.

A second run of 92.00 points from a left double bio 1800 mute made it a difficult task for anyone to beat his combined total of 187.75.

"My parents made me who I am today, after my father got sick, I had to grow up and look at the bigger picture in life," Ruud after afterwards.

"This is an opportunity more than about having to get the gold medal. 

His first run was daring, but he managed to pull it off.

"To put it down [switch left triple 1980 mute] the third time was really amazing," Ruud said. 

"I've been practising it inside my head and visualising it, so I'm stoked to have done that."

Colby Stevenson of the United States had a strong second run of 91.75 points after falling on his first. 

His final run of 91.25 points put him into the silver medal position on 183.00 after landing a switch left double 1800 Cuban.

"I was still deciding what I was going to do with that final run and I just went with something that I knew," Stevenson explained when deciding whether to risk with a bigger trick for the gold medal.

The United States Colby Stevenson took the silver medal with two big runs but decided not to risk finishing second with a trick to try to catch Birk Ruud ©Getty Images
The United States Colby Stevenson took the silver medal with two big runs but decided not to risk finishing second with a trick to try to catch Birk Ruud ©Getty Images

Henrik Harlaut of Sweden, the 2019 world big air silver medallist and six-time Winter X Games champion in the discipline, finally won an Olympic medal.

He claimed the bronze. 

His second run of 90.00 points was followed by an important 91.00 in his final run, giving him 181.00 and the bronze medal with a nose butter left triple 1620 safety.

With his final run confirming Ruud's victory after two attempts, the newly-crowned champion did an exhibition trick while carrying down the Norwegian flag to celebrate.

Harlaut's compatriot and reigning world champion Oliwer Magnusson claimed fourth with 178.25 points.

Italian teenager Leonardo Donaggio came close to the medals, but dropped off the podium in the final run.

Javier Lliso of Spain was sixth and a third Swede, Jesper Tjader, seventh.

Completing the field were Alex Hall of the US, Canada's Evan McEachran, Christian Nummedal of Norway, American Mac Forehand and Tormod Frostad from Norway.