From reserve rider to medal contender: Aussie snowboarder qualifies for final

Livigno: Australian snowboarder Valentino Guseli has gone from reserve rider to medal contender, after receiving an 11th hour call-up into the men’s big air qualifying final on Thursday.

Guseli had not qualified for the event at the 2026 Olympics, but was given the tap on the shoulder four hours before the qualifying event was due to start after Canadian snowboarder Mark McMorris withdrew following a nasty crash in practice on Wednesday.

Australian Valentino Guseli has qualified for the men’s big air finalCredit: AP

After laying down two decent runs to sit in the middle of the 30-man field with one run to go, the 20-year-old Australian pulled out a switch backside 1980 tailgrab (five-and-a-half rotations) to score an impressive 91.5 and secure the 12th and last spot for the final on Saturday.

Guseli had attempted to qualify for three events at the Milano Cortina Olympics – the big air, slopestyle and halfpipe – but only managed to qualify for the men’s halfpipe after a slow start to the 2025-26 world cup season.

After landing his third run on Thursday night the Australian let out a roar and threw his board in the air, before waiting to see the judges’ verdict.

More to come.

The Winter Olympic Games will be broadcast on the 9Network, 9Now and Stan Sport.

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