Updated at 10.23
THERE WAS DISAPPOINTMENT for Ireland’s Seamus O’Connor at the Winter Olympics today, as he found himself within touching distance after round one but ultimately failed to secure qualification for the half-pipe final in Pyeongchang today.
At the halfway point of the competition, O’Connor was 13th, just 1.25 points off a top-12 spot, which would have been enough to reach the final.
However, a disappointing second round saw the Irish athlete fall back to 18th out of 29 competitors, as the 20-year-old slipped slightly when landing while performing his toughest trick, failing to improve on his first-round score of 65.50 in the process.
O’Connor, who was born in California but qualifies for Ireland through his paternal grandparents, previously represented the country at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and was flag bearer in the opening ceremony recently.
Four years ago, he finished 15th in the half-pipe in Sochi, in addition to placing 17th in the slopestyle event.
Despite the unfortunate outcome today, there were plenty of positives to take from the experience, particularly considering O’Connor tore all of the ligaments in his knee during a fall in competition just 16 months ago.
“Obviously I would like things to have gone a little better but I’m down here at the bottom of the pipe in one piece with a smile on my face in my second Olympics so I can’t complain,” he said afterwards.
“I knew I had to go for absolutely everything in that second run. Unfortunately, just on that last landing, I kind of slipped out a little bit.
It’s the biggest trick of my run, a front-side 1260 which is three and a half rotations and here in PyeongChang was the first time I’d done it in over two years. It was really close but that’s how snowboarding half-pipe is. You’re either on it or really close but not quite there.”
Meanwhile, another Irish athlete, skier Pat McMillan placed 61st overall on his Olympics debut in the Combined Downhill this morning, with a time of one minute and 25.77 seconds.
“It was great to finally get into my first race and get that under my belt. I had a fairly smooth run,” he said. “I had a few line errors towards the bottom and got a little bit pushed back in my seat but otherwise it was better than my training runs and great training for my main event, which is the downhill.”
The 26-year-old did not complete the second slalom as he is focusing on tomorrow’s downhill.
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We could certainly be doing with a Ferris or two in the green jersey nowadays. One of the best ever to wear the jersey. Pity career ended prematurely. I do enjoy him on the punditry. Very honest.
@Ray Ridge: So powerful, quality player indeed, thought he started his punditry on the bitter side, taken some time for the competitor in him to fade a little, he’s decent enough now tho in fairness.
He would have made any world 15 in his prime, absolutely quality player. Such a shame his career ended so early
When on form and injury free he was up there with Kaino as the best no.6 in the world.
Is Impactful code for always injured?
@Spailpeen Farrell: stupid comment. He was a class player
@Spailpeen Farrell: Always injured? Yes injury blighted the last year or so for him, but always injured, that’s a laugh. The reckless way he put himself about was possibly what didn’t help him have a long career but he never went missing in games and without needing to talk about what irishness meant to him he did his bit and more for the game here. Top class 6.
What a brilliant player – such a shame he had to retire so early. Always thought he could have managed himself a little better in terms of injuries, but guess that was just the competitor in him / always wanted to be back out in the thick of it.
I train at the same gym as him nowadays and hes STILL a beast!
Jaysis Ireland really had a glorious chance in 2011 to win the World Cup. Full panel of players to chose from……..Welsh defence was unreal that day though
Not sure we played New Zealand in Croker in 2010, think it was Aviva Stadium.