Blake Williams scores gold at X Games

Australian freestyle motocross rider Blake “Bilko” Williams has upstaged a horde of stars to secure the gold medal in the freestyle component of the X Games, held at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles last weekend.

If that venue is ringing a bell, you’re not going silly, as it’s where Michael Jackson was rehearsing before his planned comeback tour in London.

After three runs in the invitation-only event, Bilko came out a 1pt winner in the freestyle final over Jeremy Stenberg, followed by Nate Adams and Mat Rebeaud. There were no other Australians in the event.

Riders were allowed to drop their worst run, which was fortuitous for Williams as he made a meal of his second jump.?

His victory marks the first time an international rider has taken a gold medal in the freestyle category in the X Games.

"After being robbed of gold in the best trick event last night (where he finished second), it really lit a fire under my belly to settle for nothing less than gold tonight,” said Williams. “I am stoked, tonight was the one that counted and it was an amazing feeling to get the win in front of my mum and dad who flew over for the event. ?

“It has been a long couple of weeks and to be honest I actually didn’t have the preparation I would have liked.? ?

“I want to dedicate the medal to the late Jeremy Lusk and Bronte Holland and also my mate Cam Sinclair who I should have been competing against tonight.”

Sinclair hails from Baxter in country Victoria. The next event on Bilko’s schedule is the Wendy’s Invitational at Portland, the first of three freestyle motocross stops on the 2009 Dew Tour.

Other winners in X Games were Ivan Lazzarini in supermoto (Carey Hart was second last, so he must be pining for his wife who’s still Australia); Josh Hansen in supercross; Ashley Fiolek in women’s supercross; and Kyle Loza in motocross best trick.

Click the following link for all the results in the 2009 X Games.