Maisie Hill from Cheltenham showcased remarkable resilience as she bounced back from a challenging Big Air event to close out her Olympic journey with a clean run in the slopestyle qualifiers. The 25-year-old snowboarder entered Sunday’s event determined to land a performance she could feel proud of, and despite a fall on her first attempt, she made a spirited comeback on her second. Executing every trick flawlessly, Hill secured a 21st place finish overall with a top score of 48.66 – short of the top 12 needed to advance to the finals.
“I’m just so happy to have landed my tricks,” Hill shared. “After Big Air didn’t really go my way, I’m really stoked to have produced something like that. My first run I didn’t land, but I knew I had to put something down. I’m really proud of myself.”
The slopestyle event was rescheduled from Monday to Sunday due to rolling clouds over the Livigno peaks, leaving athletes with one less day of training. Hill acknowledged the impact of this on her preparation but remained positive. “We didn’t really have a lot of training because of the change, so I wasn’t completely ready, but I’m still very happy to have put something down,” she explained.
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The competition held surprises for the British team as well, with Hill’s teammate Mia Brookes, one of the favorites, exiting in 16th place. The 19-year-old Brookes had vaulted to stardom recently as the youngest world champion in snowboard big air and a reigning X Games champion. However, a fall during her first run and an uncertain second jump led to her missing the final cut with a score of 56.53.
Hill expressed sympathy for Brookes and confidence in her future. “That’s really unfortunate, but she’ll come back stronger because she’s so young,” she said.
Meanwhile, British skier Kirsty Muir narrowly missed out on a medal in the women’s skiing Big Air final, finishing fourth for the second time this Olympic Games. After a valiant attempt with a new trick—a 1620 incorporating a tail-grab—Muir crashed moments before the competition’s end. Reflecting on her run, she said, “I knew I had to go for it. I’m really proud that I went for something new. Even though I fell, I have no regrets.”
The determination and spirit of these young British athletes highlighted their Olympic campaigns, promising a bright future in winter sports.