(Zhangjiakou) Olivia Asselin was unable to complete the freestyle skiing final on Tuesday (local time) at Genting Park. The athlete from Lévis suffers from knee discomfort and a lot of fatigue. She finished at 11and rank of the test.
Updated yesterday at 11:58 p.m.
The Canadian was at the top of the track for the final. His name, his photo and his flag were displayed on the giant competition screen. The Canadian skier took the start, but she didn’t try anything spectacular on the three ramps and three jumps of the freestyle descent.
At the bottom of the track, she collapsed in her trainer’s arms. Their discussion lasted about ten minutes, then the athlete got back on one of the snowmobiles towards the top of the track. However, Olivia Asselin withdrew from the competition before her second run.
The 17-year-old Quebecer did not appear before the media after her withdrawal. Peter Judge, General Manager of Freestyle Canada, spoke.
He explained that the skier had knee discomfort after missing a landing in qualifying. Above all, the athlete suffers from mental fatigue after taking part in the big jump event a week ago. She arrived 8and during this competition.
“For most people, it’s very difficult to understand all the stress that surrounds the Olympics. Let’s think of Simone Biles in Tokyo this summer [la gymnaste s’était retirée de la compétition olympique]. The weight is big for a 17-year-old athlete who doesn’t have much experience in high-level competition. It was definitely an issue for her, ”he explained.
Peter Judge chatted with the young athlete after her only run of the day. She then went to a doping test. “Right now she is devastated as anyone would be under these circumstances. When you come to the Games, you want to do the best you can. She knows her friends and family were watching her and the country was supporting her. She wanted to do the best she could. »
Peter Judge said the skier tried to see how she felt on the snow, but it just wasn’t working for her on Tuesday. “In this kind of situation, we prioritize the health and well-being of the athlete, especially when it comes to a 17-year-old teenager who has a long future ahead of her. »
“She’s a very strong little girl. She will bounce back,” he insisted.
Gu still on the podium
Swiss Mathilde Gremaud had the worst run of the day, but also the best. His second of three tries earned him 86.56 points.
“I woke up with good energy, positive, and the desire to ski,” explained the new gold medalist. She had won silver in PyeongChang.
PHOTO SEAN KILPATRICK, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Mathilde Gremaud
The silver medal went to superstar Eileen Ailing Gu, who was born in California but represents China. The athlete won gold in the big jump a week ago.
“My goal for these Olympics was to win a gold medal and have one more podium in a different event. So I’ve already achieved that goal and I’m off to my strongest challenge [la demi-lune]. I’m feeling really good right now and super excited to see what the next two days have in store for us. »
The podium was completed by 19-year-old Kelly Sildaru of Estonia, who currently sits first in the World Cup standings in freestyle downhill.
Olivia Asselin was the only Canadian in the final.