At only 17 years old and at her first Olympic Games, Quebecer Olivia Asselin qualified for the grand final in the big jump event, in freestyle skiing, on Sunday evening.
Posted yesterday at 10:48 p.m.
The skier from Lévis took the 11and rank in qualifying. She needed to finish in the top 12 to qualify for the medal round. Two of the three best jumps were taken into consideration.
All in all, Asselin had started the competition well with a bio switch 1080, but she was unable to grip her ski well with her hand once in the air. An error that was reflected in his score of 60.75, good at this time for eighth place.
After the first round, she was in 14and position.
During her second run, Asselin recovered well with a sound double cork 1080. She was able to gain a lot of height as well as a good distance. With a smile on her face at the bottom of the slope, the Quebecer won the fervor of the judges who awarded her 87.00. She was eighth and in excellent position after two jumps.
For her last try, Asselin tried to recreate her first jump, but she fell on landing. She started her rotation too quickly and that’s what created her imbalance. She only got 16 points.
Asselin walked away with a cumulative score of 147.75.
Megan Oldham in the lead
PHOTO JAE C. HONG, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Megan Oldham
The other Canadian to start, Megan Oldham, was brilliant in qualifying.
His first jump earned him 80 points, good for ninth place at the time.
The magic worked during the second run with an almost perfect jump, of immense amplitude, superbly executed. The Ontarian earned the best score of the day with a score of 91.25. So she took first place.
For her last figure, the 20-year-old athlete took no risks and she went with a cork 900. A low-risk maneuver, a question of saving money and reducing the risks in view of the final round which will take place on Monday evening.
Oldham eventually finished first with a total of 171.25.