A Team GB halfpipe skier has admitted that he’s just ‘happy to be walking’ after crashing out of the men’s final at the Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Gus Kenworthy finished in eighth place overall but came down hard on the lip of the pipe during one of his runs, which could have seriously hurt him.
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The 30-year-old ended his Olympic career with a respectable 71.25 on his final ever run at his third Olympics, but admitted that he was simply happy to have escaped unhurt after the potentially dangerous accident.
The weather on the day didn’t help, with strong winds creating low visibility on the course.
Afterwards, Kenworthy told Eurosport: “It wasn't the run I wanted to do.
"Considering the conditions, I still had more that I wanted, but after that bad slam I am happy to be walking and land the run and getting through it in one piece.
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“It is a good show despite how gnarly it is out here.”
In the end, New Zealand’s Nico Porteous – the overwhelming favourite for the event – brought home the gold medal, with Americans David Wise and Alex Ferreira filling out the podium in silver and bronze medal positions respectively.
Despite the 20-year-old Kiwi entering the contest as the top pick for gold, Kenworthy pointed out that there is still a decent amount of luck involved in any halfpipe contest.
“In skiing, wind is the biggest factor we face,” he said.
“Snow you can deal with, even if a course is not to your liking you can adapt, but when it is windy - especially when it gusts - it is out of your control and is a luck game.”
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It stand to reason that the wind would play a part, given how high above the lip of the pipe the athletes end up as they perform their tricks.
Kenworthy has won a medal before, taking home the silver in Sochi back in 2014, but that was as a representative of the USA.
He switched to Team GB before this Olympics in 2019.
Reflecting on his career, Kenworthy said he was ‘eternally indebted’ to the sport, adding: “Skiing has meant the whole world to me.
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“I started doing this when I was three.
“My mom and I learned together.
“She was 41 and used to sing to me on the chair lift and I'd take naps in her lap and fall asleep and wake up at the top and do another run.
“I am eternally indebted to this sport.
“I feel so grateful to be a part of it and to go to three Olympic games.”
Topics: UK News, Winter Olympics, Sport
Tom Wood