Snowboarding’s halfpipe competition has begun at the Beijing Winter Olympics. In a sport where a bad run can knock athletes out of contention, and a bad fall can do far worse, every run matters, even in the qualifying round.
That became especially evident during the men’s qualifying runs when the three-time gold medalist Shaun White fell in his first run. He was thrust into an unwanted position: deliver an outstanding second run or be eliminated from competition, the 35-year-old’s last Olympics. He seized the moment, scoring 86.25 to propel himself to fourth place and into Friday’s final.
Chloe Kim, the defending gold medalist from the United States, delivered as needed on Wednesday too. She easily advanced in first place, scoring a 87.75 in her first of two runs, which guaranteed her a spot in Thursday’s final.
