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29-year-old Australian Belle Brockhoff has finished fourth at the Beijing Winter Olympics in the Snowboard Cross event.
It is Brockhoff’s third Olympics and she made no secret that she was chasing gold after going into the 2018 Olympics carrying a knee injury.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be for the Australian but she can hold her head up high after several incredible runs.
Brockhoff had plenty of nervous moments and joked about her lacklustre start to quest for gold.
Just laid down an appalling time trials hahahah fek. Full send in finals ???????????? @AUSOlympicTeam
— Belle Brockhoff (@bellebrockhoff) February 9, 2022
She made it through the quarterfinals by the skin of her teeth after coming from last to second on the final few corners and jump.
WOW. How about that?!
Belle Brockhoff comes from NOWHERE to get through to the semi finals! ????#Beijing2022 | #7Olympics pic.twitter.com/Yjn4SgAlf7
— 7Olympics (@7olympics) February 9, 2022
The semi-final was just as dramatic with French snowboarder Julia Pereira De Sousa crashing out just in front of Brockhoff who did amazingly well to steer around her and stay in the race to make the medal event.
Australia, Belle Brockhoff is THROUGH TO THE FINAL!
In just minutes time! #Beijing2022 pic.twitter.com/bGyBSwMN8k
— 7Olympics (@7olympics) February 9, 2022
After years of hard work she made it to the final but was never in with a real chance of a medal after a sluggish start.
So very close to a medal for Belle Brockhoff.
But what an effort to get all the way through to the final and finish fourth ????#Beijing2022 | #7Olympics pic.twitter.com/rfagejULQR
— 7Olympics (@7olympics) February 9, 2022
She gave an emotional post-race interview with Channel Seven.
“There’s a lot of fight in me,” Brockhoff said
“I went from 18th position to the big final and I just gave it my all and that’s all I wanted to do here.”
"I had a really bad training day yesterday … had a crash. I had a shit time trial, I was having a bit of a breakdown in front of my family…"
Up against it, @bellebrockhoff had an inspirational day against the odds ????#Beijing2022 | #7Olympics pic.twitter.com/KK8tRLwvXq
— 7Olympics (@7olympics) February 9, 2022
It wasn’t great news for fellow Aussie Josie Baff who crashed out of her heat.
Josie Baff takes a fall and won't progress to the quarter finals ????#Beijing2022 | #7Olympics pic.twitter.com/4B9ulR5skr
— 7Olympics (@7olympics) February 9, 2022
Brockhoff still has an opportunity for a medal in the mixed snowboard event.
“My first Olympic Games I was a little bit of a Labrador puppy, second Olympic Games you know I had an injury … I learnt a lot from the injury and if I went back in time I wouldn’t change a thing,”Brockhoff said before the event.
The snowboarder has always strived to make a difference on and off the slopes and she knows that winter athletes have to do more to make an impact.
“That’s always naturally the thing in the back of your head and it’s hard. Then there’s the extra pressure when you look at Olympic sports, we don’t get the same amount of attention as mainstream sports,” Brockhoff told Code Sports.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself.”
“I had told my mum I wanted to go to the Olympic Games and be the best snowboarder in the world.”
“But you know Australia sends their best athletes and coaches and supporting staff because we’re not going there to achieve silver or bronze. We’re going there to win f–king gold.”