Zoe Atkin raises hopes of another Team GB gold with impressive qualifying show

Zoe Atkin raised hopes of a record-breaking fourth Winter Olympic gold medal for Great Britain after qualifying in first place for Saturday’s women’s freestyle halfpipe competition in Livigno.

Atkin nailed a first run score of 91.5 that was enough to top the standings, while China’s defending champion Eileen Gu made it through in fifth place.

It was a major statement of intent by 23-year-old Atkin, whose older sister Izzy won Britain’s first ever medal on skis when she took bronze in the women’s ski slopestyle in Pyeongchang in 2018.

Atkin won the world title in Engadin, Switzerland, last year, and came to the Games fresh from a gold medal in the superpipe competition at last month’s X Games in Aspen, Colorado.

She admitted the prospect of eclipsing her sister’s medal colour was a major motivation.

“There’s definitely a little bit of rivalry between us, and I think that’s more from my side because I’m the little sister,” said Atkin.

“I grew up kind of in her shadow a little bit and I feel like only now am I making a name for myself. But she is the whole reason I got into skiing and she has been my biggest role model.”

Gu has so far won silver medals in both slopestyle and Big Air, and is the only athlete attempting to take on all three disciplines.

She has been critical of the hectic schedule she has endured as a result, and rode her luck to reach her third final after crashing out of her first run.

Gu had another shaky moment halfway down her second as she stared early elimination in the face, but recovered to score 86.5 that was comfortably enough to see her through.

The competition was delayed for 15 minutes following a bad crash by Canada’s Cassie Sharpe, the 2018 gold medallist and 2022 runner-up, who was attended by medics before being carried from the course on a stretcher.