Maisie Hill, a 24-year-old snowboarder from Cheltenham, recently celebrated the three-year anniversary of her hospital discharge following a devastating crash that nearly cost her the ability to walk. Hill’s injuries were severe: a broken pelvis, damaged spine, fractured ribs, a lacerated liver, and a brain bleed sustained during the Laax Open in 2022. Despite this, she made a remarkable recovery and returned to competitive snowboarding within just nine months.
Her Olympic debut took place at the Livigno Snow Park, where Hill competed in the women’s snowboard big air qualifiers. Although she finished 29th and did not advance to the final, her performance was highlighted by a solid backside 900 on her third run, earning an overall score of 57.25. While she acknowledged the disappointment of not landing her first two runs, Hill expressed immense pride in overcoming what many considered impossible.
“I was actually leaving hospital three years ago today after my injury,” Hill reflected. “I was told I might never be able to walk again, so to be here now is pretty incredible. Some people thought I started too late to compete at this level, but I never doubted myself.”
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Standing at the top of the big air jump brought on the nerves that any athlete would face at the Olympic level. Hill admitted these nerves affected her performance, despite successfully landing these tricks in practice sessions. However, with the slopestyle event still to come—her preferred discipline—she remains motivated and positive.
“I’ve had so much fun riding here; it’s been amazing,” she said. “I love snowboarding and have enjoyed the best training ever. I landed my frontside 1080 in practice but not in competition, which is disappointing. At least I managed a sketchy back 900 on the third run. Now I’m looking forward to slopestyle.”
Determined to improve her mental game, Hill plans to work on managing nerves better as the competition continues. Her resilience and passion for snowboarding shine brightly as she embraces her Olympic journey.