Zoe Atkin looks to keep Olympic success in the family as Team GB’s big halfpipe hope

A podium spot beckons if the teenager can replicate her run in qualifying

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Team GB teenager Zoe Atkin has missed flights and alarms at her first Olympics but her timing was perfect when it really mattered.

Zoe’s older sister Izzy won Britain’s first-ever Olympic medal on snow in 2018 and her sibling dropped into the Beijing halfpipe to announce similar intentions.

The 19-year-old qualified in fourth place with a best score of 86.75 which, if she can match or better in Friday’s final, represents a podium-level run.

“I’m so excited. I was really nervous,” said Atkin.

“You are even more nervous on qualifying day than finals day I think.

“I just wanted to put down a clean run. After my first run, I was like, ‘phew, all the pressure’s off.’ Then I put down an even better second run and I’m really excited to be in the finals tomorrow.”

It hasn’t all been plain sailing for Zoe in China, however, particularly on the logistics front.

“I’m having so much fun but I have also had a couple of mishaps,” she admitted.

“I missed my flight on the way here and I forgot to set an alarm this morning. I’ll set two tomorrow to make sure it doesn’t happen again. But I’ve been having so much fun, I’ve been harassing people in the dining hall to trade pins with me.

“I’ve been eating the gross food as well but it has been so much fun being with all these athletes in the village. It has been a dream for a while, so I’m honoured to represent Team GB and I’m really excited to be here.”

Far and away the outstanding skier in qualification was China’s Eileen Gu, who scored 95.50, and she will go in as clear favourite to win her second gold and third medal here.

Zoe and Izzy started skiing from the age of two on Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine, with British father Michael and Malaysian mother Winnie, and went to high school in Utah.

It should be no shock that Zoe is competing at the front of the field, just as her sister did in PyeongChang. She won bronze at the 2021 World Championships, her debut at the event.

It seems she has a few surprises up her sleeve for the final, though.

“I definitely have a couple of tricks I might want to put into tomorrow’s final and step it up,” said Atkin.

“You will have to wait and see and watch! I’m just going to try and have fun and put down a really good run and I’ll be happy with how it goes.”

Meanwhile, Gus Kenworthy squeaked through to the final in 12th place at his first Olympics in Team GB colours.

Kenworthy - the first action sports star to come out in 2015 - won slopestyle silver for USA in Sochi but has now switched to halfpipe and the country of his mother’s birth.

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The 30-year-old took a heavy fall on his first run but scored 70.75 at the second attempt, facing an agonising wait as 17 more athletes took to the course.

Kenworthy, who has suffered long Covid symptoms having contracted the virus last year, was relieved to end up in the 12th and final qualifying spot for Saturday’s final.

“I did not go very well but it went well enough,” he said. “I’m just relieved, that was stressful watching from 12th position as the entire field took their second run.

“This has been a long road, the time between the Games gets longer and longer as you get older. I’ve had a bumpy road but I’m very happy to be here healthy and it means the world to be representing Team GB.”

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