Josie Baff and Adam Lambert miss out on snowboard cross podium after crash in final
“It really paid off in the semi-finals. I was able to get that half a second back very quickly,” he said.
“So I thought, you know what? Anything is possible and I’m going to trust these three. [other competitors] There might be a contact down there and if something happens I want to be in that race… I could see it, I was like wow, I’m getting close. Actually, I’m getting closer.
“I could see them coming out of the corner as I was coming into the corner. I thought it might still work and I knew if I closed that gap a little more I could slingshot. So yeah, I was hoping for that. But unfortunately four seconds is a long time.”
Adam Lambert heads towards the finish line after his crash in the men’s section of the final.Credit: Getty Images
The hardest part about this? They could win gold.
“I think we could have won. I really, really believe we could have gotten that medal,” Baff said.
“I guess it bothers me a little bit, but it’s also snowboard cross and it shows the unpredictability of the sport. And that’s just racing.”
Lambert said the contact with Italy’s Lorenzo Sommariva was clearly disappointing.
Lambert landed on the inside of Sommariva as he passed the jump and headed into turn six towards the end of the course, when the front of the Australian’s snowboard hit him, causing him to spin out.
Loading
“Part of my strategy, of course, was to stay on course and not crash,” Lambert said.
“I would have been content with fourth place there, but as I said, unfortunately, when I came over that camel [jump]I had no room to move left.
“I had to take what was given to me and I know Josie could have pulled back half a second. She probably could have pulled back a second and a half, she rides so well, but four seconds is a bit much.”
Mia Clift in the mixed team snowboard cross junior final.Credit: Getty Images
It was a similar situation for Australia’s No.2 team Mia Clift and Jarryd Hughes; Clift had a 1.27 second delay in the semi-final and then a 3.08 delay in the minor final (5th and 8th places were determined).
“He had an incredible ride and unfortunately I couldn’t match his level of driving today and how well he performed,” Hughes said.
“He deserved so much better today and I’m sorry I couldn’t do it.”
Winter Olympic Games are broadcast on TV 9Network, 9Now And Stan Sports.
