Olympics debutant Martin Nordqvist, 22, qualified for the big air final with strong performances in the qualifying round. He finished 11th with scores of 90.00, 90.00, and 83.50 in his three runs. Nordqvist was surprised by the presence of his brother and friends at the event.
Martin Nordqvist delivered an impressive performance in the big air qualifying at the Olympics in Livigno. The 22-year-old Swede, making his Olympic debut, produced three strong runs that earned him 11th place and a spot in the final. He is the only Swede in the final, scheduled for Tuesday at 19:30.
In his first run, Nordqvist scored 90.00 points, repeating that in the second. His third run ended with 83.50 points, securing his qualification. "It feels insanely fun," Nordqvist told TV4. Expert commentator Jacob Wester exclaimed: "Big for the Olympic debutant." TV4's Tobias Ekberg described it as "a full commitment from Martin Nordqvist."
Nordqvist was surprised by his brother and friends who showed up at the venue, despite not being supposed to be there. "My brother says he mentioned it earlier but I have no memory of it," the delighted debutant said, according to Dagens Nyheter.
Other Swedish riders struggled. Jesper Tjäder finished 23rd and missed the final. Henrik Harlaut did not compete due to injury.
The competition was briefly paused before Nordqvist's first run following a scary crash by Finland's Elias Lajunen, who landed hard and was carried off on a stretcher. He was awake, able to move all body parts, and was examined at the hospital, according to the Finnish team.
