Sixteen-year-olds Sara Shimizu and Rise Kudo led a Japanese quartet into the ladies’s snowboard halfpipe ultimate Tuesday on the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
Shimizu, the runner-up on the world championships final yr in Switzerland, scored 87.50 factors to qualify second and Kudo earned 84.75 for her second run to position fourth at Livigno Snow Park.
Two-time defending Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim of the United States topped qualification with 90.25, whereas Japan’s Beijing Games bronze medalist Sena Tomita was ninth and 2022-23 general World Cup winner Mitsuki Ono scraped by to the 12-woman ultimate from the sector of 24 in eleventh place.
Japan’s Sara Shimizu competes throughout the ladies’s snowboarding halfpipe {qualifications} in Livigno, Italy, on Wednesday. Image: AP/Abbie Parr
Shimizu pulled out early from her first run and wanted a powerful rating along with her second and final run, however the teenager nonchalantly landed two 900s amongst her six methods to surge up the standings.
“I’m relieved to have nailed the second run. I dropped in a bit too vertical than usual with my first one,” Shimizu stated.
“I was feeling the least nervous out of any competitions I’ve been in so far. I’ve been aiming for this for a long time and I’m enjoying it more than anyone.”
A nerveless Kudo had the least bother regardless of her age, all however guaranteeing qualification with 83.50 on her first run earlier than elevating the bar additional on her second.
“There’s a bit of a special feeling here, compared to other competitions and I was a little nervous, but it didn’t appear in my performance,” Kudo stated. “It’s not often we get so many people gathering from qualifying and it’s fun. It’s like a festival.”
“I’ve never thought I’m strong mentally. But there’s no nervousness or such, as long as you’re performing feeling well. That’s my mindset recently.”
The ultimate is scheduled for Thursday, with Japan trying to win its third gold in northern Italy after large air triumphs by Kira Kimura and Kokomo Murase.
© KYODO