Mittenwalderin reaches the Olympic final on Saturday night, meanwhile she was “really scared” at the start

Created: 02/05/2022, 07:25

By: Andreas Knobloch

Annika Morgan can grin.

She is in the final of the Olympic Games.

© IMAGO / GEPA pictures

The Olympic Games had hardly begun when Annika Morgan from Mittenwald caused a sensation and made it into the final.

Beijing – The Beijing 2022 Olympic Games officially opened on February 4th.

Some competitions have been running for a few days, some qualifications and preliminary rounds take place before the ceremony.

The Olympic Games on Saturday (Beijing local time) already got off to a good start for an Upper Bavarian.

Mittenwald native Annika Morgan, 19 years old, was able to qualify for the final on Sunday night (CET), but admitted that she had concerns before the start.

Olympia 2022: Annika Morgan from Mittenwald reaches the final

Snowboarder Morgan has reached the finals in slopestyle at her first Olympic Games.

The 19-year-old finished tenth in qualification at the Genting Snow Park near Zhangjiakou on Saturday with 67.63 points.

Only the twelve best athletes will fight for the medals on Sunday (2.30 a.m.).

After falling in the first run, the skier performed better in the second with 67.63 points.

"It's standard for me that I don't land it in the first, and then I land in the second.

Apparently I always like to make it exciting for everyone," said the athlete from SC Mittenwald.

"I'm extremely relieved.

Mentally I can chill now.

Tomorrow I'll go one step further.” On the course in Zhangjiakou, the athletes drive over railings and ramps and jump over a small hut.

Again and again, the conditions in China cause criticism.

On the one hand, the slopes and cross-country ski runs with artificial snow are certainly not the optimal solution, on the other hand, there are always negative voices about the temperatures and circumstances.

Vanessa Hinz, biathlete from Schliersee, said she was worried about her fingers when the temperatures were below zero.

With a photo of DSV star Josef Ferstl, the fans shook their heads at the surroundings.

Annika Morgan was also afraid of qualifying for a short time.

"I am so relieved.

When I was at the start, I was really scared because it was getting windier.

But I faded that out and listened to music, then I was fine," she is quoted as saying by SID.

In the final, she wanted above all to "have fun", "anything could happen".

Olympia 2022: Morgan coach “takes a heavy load off my heart”

The Australian Zoi Sadowski Synnott showed the best performance on the demanding course with 86.75 points.

"It's a big relief for me," said national coach Michael Dammert to SID, "because I wished it so much for Annika.

You really have to be a miracle snowboarder for the course.” At Morgan there is still “a lot of room for improvement”, emphasized Dammert.

Young hope Morgan, who caused a stir with third place at the prestigious Laax Open about three weeks ago, will also compete in the big air in Beijing.

The qualification will take place there on February 14th, the medals will be awarded the following day.

For the men, Noah Vicktor (Bischofswiesen) and Leon Vockensperger (Rosenheim) are challenged in the slopestyle qualifier on Sunday (5:30 a.m.).