Beijing (AP) – The German freestyle snowboarder Annika Morgan has reached the final in the Big Air competition at the Olympic Games in China.
Two days after her 20th birthday, the athlete from Mittenwald received a total of 132.25 points in the qualification for her two best runs. She was eighth in the final of the twelve best athletes on Tuesday (2:30 a.m. CET). Noah Vicktor and Leon Vockensperger, on the other hand, failed in the qualification and, as in slopestyle, missed the final.
“I didn’t expect that at all. I’m still a bit speechless now. I really didn’t think I could do it and then come eighth,” said Morgan after her courageous appearance in the first permanent big-air stadium of the world.
Despite his early failure in both freestyle snowboarding competitions, hopeful Leon Vockensperger drew a conciliatory conclusion at the Olympics. “It was definitely an experience, I did my best. But most of the time it was really biting and fighting,” said the 22-year-old from Rosenheim after qualifying in the Big Air competition.
After two top ten finishes this season, Vockensperger traveled to China with great ambitions. But after a fall in training, he also fell in two runs of the slopestyle competition a week ago and suffered a painful bruised rib. He also had problems with his right knee again.
This should “not be an excuse,” said Vockensperger, but also emphasized: “You’re always inhibited, of course I noticed that. I didn’t want to admit it at first and tried to bite through and see that it works somehow.” In the end “it didn’t work out that way, but it was a good experience for life and for my career. I definitely still have an open account for the next games,” said Vockensperger.
At the Beijing Games, the men’s and women’s big-air competitions in freestyle skiing and snowboarding will be held there. The facility is about 50 minutes by bus west of the Olympic Stadium and was built on the site of a former steelworks.
For the athletes, the events are all about performing tricks after jumping down a ramp in the air and then landing safely. Points are awarded for Difficulty, Clean Execution, Height and Landing categories. Zoi Sadowski-Synnott from New Zealand is in the lead after qualifying. The 20-year-old had already won the gold medal in the slopestyle competition, Morgan had finished eighth last week. “I’m not putting myself under any pressure right now,” said Morgan, looking ahead to the final. “Of course my goal is to land everything and show my best snowboard. I’ll try that tomorrow as well. I’m definitely looking forward to it.”