Winter Olympics 2026: Charlotte Bankes exits snowboard cross in quarter-finals

Charlotte Bankes hoped to “put on a better show” as her Olympic cap continues with a quarter-final exit from snowboard cross; which missed the chance for another medal for Team GB.

Bankes, who is in her fourth Games, is a former world champion and has 26 World Cup golds to her name, but an Olympic medal continues to elude her.

Although his qualifying run was slower than expected, the 30-year-old qualified fastest from his heat but crossed the finish line last, ignoring his pace from the start of the quarter-final.

It was the same story as Bankes crashing out at the same stage in Beijing four years ago; An accident was responsible for this incident.

Asked by BBC Sport how he felt, Bankes replied: “I’m lost.

“I feel like I’m doing the same thing I did four years ago, it’s very frustrating.

“We have worked incredibly hard to improve this situation and today I don’t think it made any difference.

“I’ve had difficulties on the track all week but we thought we found a solution.

“I really wanted this.”

Bankes’ preparations for these Games were not ideal.

He broke his collarbone in April last year, needing further surgery, including a bone graft from his hip, in the summer after it became clear the injury was not healing properly.

But she made a full return to the Games and won gold at the World Cup in China last month.

“This is a hard thing to accept. I was hoping to put on a better show, but it didn’t happen today,” he added.

“It can be a cruel sport. The team did all the work behind me and I couldn’t do it.”

Australian Josie Baff won the gold medal, Czech Eva Adamczykova took silver, and Italian host and former champion Michela Moioli took bronze.

Bankes has just 48 hours to recover from the disappointment before returning to the starting gate alongside teammate Huw Nightingale in the mixed team event.

Bankes and Nightingale become world champions in 2023.

The Livigno Snow Park has not been a happy hunting ground so far for Team GB at the Milan-Cortina Games and the wait continues for a first Olympic gold or silver medal on snow.

Freestyle skier Kirsty Muir and snowboarder Mia Brookes finished fourth twice earlier in the week, but they will both return to racing in the coming days, as will current halfpipe world champion Zoe Atkin.