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Average Skier Who Performed No Tricks During Halfpipe 'Shocked' To Not Advance

Average Skier Who Performed No Tricks During Halfpipe 'Shocked' To Not Advance

Elizabeth Swaney, the 33-year-old competing for Hungary in the 2018 Winter Olympics, finished bottom out of 24 skiers

Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare

Some people think the Olympic spirit is about seeing sporting titans reach the pinnacle of their field, while for others it's about seeing athletes who are just happy to compete.

Elizabeth Swaney definitely falls into the latter category, as the Californian competed for Hungary in the women's freestyle skiing halfpipe and was, well, weirdly underwhelming.

As Thrillist reports, the 33-year-old amateur skier finished rock bottom out of 24 skiers after she made a run on the half-pipe that included absolutely no tricks at all, meaning she missed out on moving on to the finals of the competition.

"I didn't qualify for finals so I'm really disappointed," Swaney, who qualified to compete for Hungary via her Hungarian grandparents, told the AP. It seemed like she genuinely meant it too.

Elizabeth Swaney during her halfpipe run.
PA

Swaney's run was admirable in its own bizarre way - she didn't fall and was clearly trying to get some height up the pipe, even if she made no attempt at flair at all. It sucked, basically, but it was competent. It gives you hope you could still one day do it yourself.

The sad fact is Swaney's just not as good as her fellow competitors - she finished with a score of 31.40, a long way below the 72.80 Anais Caradeux of France got to finish 12th, the last spot to qualify for the finals.

What's even more amazing is that this wasn't a strategy by Swaney to play it safely to the finals - it's just what she does. According to the AP, Swaney has yet to score 40 in an FIS-sanctioned competition - not because she wipes out trying difficult tricks, but because she doesn't try them at all.

Despite finishing near the bottom at all the international events she's attended in the past four years, she still collected the required number of FIS points to reach Olympic standard, at great personal cost. She just wants to compete. You have to admire her commitment.

PA

Swaney only took up skiing eight years ago and has a habit of believing she can do anything she puts her mind to. In the past she tried out for the Oakland Raiders and even ran for governor of California at the age of just 19.

"I still want to inspire people to get involved with athletics or a new sport or a new challenge at any age in life," she said. Well, you can't argue with that.

Even though she's not in their league, Swaney's fellow Olympic competitors think Swaney earned her place at the Games just like everyone else.

"I'm a pretty open-minded person," said France's Marie Martinod, a silver medalist in halfpipe at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. "So I couldn't be proud dealing some pins with some crazy exotic country and being giving (criticism) to this girl that is trying to get into the Olympics.

"No, she's part of the game. It's a game, just (a chance) to share stuff and be able to see the whole world (come) together for once."

CHECK OUT THE NORTH KOREANS ARRIVING AT THIS YEAR'S WINTER OLYMPICS:

Whether Swaney ever has a chance of competing seriously with her fellow athletes or not, it looks like the Olympic spirit is alive and well in her.

Hey, if you want to see really good skiers doing incredible things on the halfpipe, you can always just go re-watch Cassie Sharpe.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics:ย SPORT, News