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Shaun White reacts throughout the males’s halfpipe qualification spherical on the Winter Olympics on Wednesday (Tuesday night time PT) in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Picture/Francisco Seco)
By EDDIE PELLS | AP Nationwide Author
ZHANGJIAKOU, China — After falling on his first try Wednesday (Tuesday night time PT), Shaun White hammered down a pressure-packed halfpipe qualifying run to make it via to the medal spherical of his fifth and remaining Olympics.
The three-time gold medalist fell on his signature trick on his first run – the Double McTwist 1260 – and was mired in nineteenth place. Every rider will get two tries and solely their greatest rating counts. The highest 12 advance to Friday’s remaining. White ended up in fourth place.
After a 50-minute wait following his fall, White returned to the highest of the pipe and nailed the identical run he’d tried earlier than.
He stomped each touchdown and on the backside tore off his goggles and let loose a “Yeahhhh.” He certified behind two-time silver medalist Ayumu Hirano, 2018 bronze medalist Scotty James and Hirano’s Japanese teammate, Ruka Hirano.
“I can’t let you know the reduction I felt off that final hit,” White mentioned. “It was simply the joys and pleasure to be going to finals.”
Chloe Kim cheered White when he reached the underside. She was available on the halfpipe after cruising via her personal, far much less dramatic qualifying spherical. She was good via her first journey down the halfpipe and completed in first place. In her second run, she fell whereas making an attempt a trick she’d by no means tried earlier than, a swap bottom 720.
“Oh, nicely,” she mentioned on the backside, and playfully caught out her tongue whereas she waited for a rating that didn’t matter.
Mitsuki Ono of Japan was second in qualifying a day after showing to be bothered by a hip ailment in coaching and in some discomfort. Cai Xuetong of China had the third-best rating in qualifying, with Queralt Castellet of Spain additionally within the combine.
The largest shock was the efficiency of American Maddie Mastro, who completed simply exterior of the highest 12 that superior to Thursday’s remaining. She had been within the final spot however was bumped out by one of many remaining riders, Elizabeth Hosking of Canada.
“I used to be probably not stoked on that (second run),” Mastro mentioned. “I did my first three hits they usually went nicely and the remainder of the run, I don’t know what occurred. It simply didn’t occur however that’s OK – on to the following.”
White’s large save prevented one other setback on what has grow to be a tough Olympics on the mountain for america. Hours earlier, Mikaela Shiffrin skidded out of her slalom run and made it 0 for two on the Alpine hill. Defending slopestyle champions Jamie Anderson and Purple Gerard each didn't make the rostrum this time.
White got here to Beijing after a bout with COVID-19, an ankle damage, a longer-than-expected journey via Olympic qualifying and a variety of modifications to his coaching schedule. However he made it to China with a cautious sense of optimism.
He's not thought of a favourite and mentioned he had a run he wished to place down. Due to his clutch run in qualifying, he’ll get that probability.