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IT’S FINALS TIME!

Kirsty was first down the course and pulled off an outstanding first jump, a double 900 with a long tail grab, (that’s 2 1/2 spins and 2 1/2 off axis rotations) scoring the first score over 90 in the women’s big air this year with 90.25. It was a dream start.

Next up, was Eileen Gu with an incredible 93.75 for four rotations and a perfect landing.

Then an unbelievable jump from Tess Ledeux scoring 94.50, putting her in the gold medal position.

Next up, Canadian Medan Oldham, first in the qualifying rounds, went into her jump switch (backwards) and scored 85.

What a first round.

Kirsty was third going into the second jump.

The standard is just off the chart, these athletes pushing themselves, each other and their discipline to incredible heights.

Kirsty’s second jump was flawless with a trailing tail grab which she made look so easy. This is an incredibly difficult discipline and when these athletes make it look easy you know they’ve had a good run!

She scored 78.75. A safe jump, she’s holding her own in high-class company.

Eileen Gu nailed her second run with an impressive double 1080 grab.

A straight switch 1440 from Tess Ledeux for her second jump gave Tess a score of 93 in her second run, keeping her in the lead. Followed by Megan Oldham who made it into fourth place.

At the end of the second round it was Ledeux (France), Gremaude (Switzerland) and Gu (China) in Gold, Silver and Bronze positions.

Kirsty went for it on her third run needing a big jump to get her from fifth place and onto the podium. A massive effort and so close but she crashed on landing unable to better her score, she was so thrilled to finish and be congratulated by her hero Sarah Hofflien. How completely amazing to watch.

On her last run Eileen Gu jumped four and a half rotations and delivered it perfectly giving her a score 94.50 launching her into the gold medal position. The crowd went crazy for her.

Two more jumps to go. The current second and third place athletes. Mathilde from Switzerland had a big crash. So, just Tess Ledeux to go. She has never won an Olympic medal but has won everything else… Could she knock the golden girl from the top spot? It was an amazing jump but not good enough, a distraught Ledeux had to settle for silver.

Gold for Eileen Gu of China

Silver for Tess Ledeux of France

Bronze for Matilde Gremaude of Switzerland

So, a brilliant fifth place for Kirsty Muir in the first event, her first Olympics, you cannot underestimate the size of what she has achieved.

This has been a competition so much bigger and better than I ever imagined. These women have inspired me so much. Knowing that Kirsty has come from Scotland, learning on dry slopes and is now in the Olympics. That should inspire any young people watching this in the UK too.

Thank you Polly – what a great article!

Images are screenshots taken by Polly from the BBC and Montreal Post