Alessandro Barbieri Advances with Energy to His First Olympic Final
In a remarkable debut at the Winter Olympics, 17-year-old Alessandro Barbieri from Portland, Oregon, impressed the crowd at Livigno Snow Park. Competing in the men’s halfpipe qualifier on February 11, he finished in fourth place, securing his spot in the final scheduled for February 13.
Alessandro Barbieri Shines in Olympic Halfpipe Competing
Barbieri, the top American performer, delivered an impressive score of 88.50 during his third run. Despite this achievement, he concluded behind competitors Scotty James from Australia, who scored 94, and Yuto Totsuka and Ryusei Yamada from Japan, with scores of 91.25 and 90.25, respectively.
Setting High Expectations
Reflecting on his performance, Barbieri expressed confidence and ambition. “What I really have in my head is a 10. That was more like a six,” he stated, indicating his belief that he can improve. “I kind of expect myself to be near the top after all this hard work I’ve put in.”
Performance Highlights and Challenges
In an earlier run, Barbieri encountered an unexpected fall, which he attributed to an error during a trick. His debut was particularly meaningful with snowboarding legend Shaun White in attendance, who had high hopes for Barbieri’s performance. “We need another guy like Shaun,” Barbieri commented, acknowledging the need for strong representation from the U.S. in snowboarding.
Team USA Advances to the Final
Alongside Barbieri, Chase Josey and Jake Pates also represented Team USA in the halfpipe final. Josey, 30, secured an 11th place finish with a score of 76.50, despite a fall during his second run. He recognized the judges’ focus on execution and expressed his determination to compete against top athletes from Japan.
- Chase Josey: 11th place, score 76.50
- Jake Pates: 12th place, score 75.50
- Chase Blackwell: 15th place, score 69
Pates, 27, faced the pressure after slipping in his first run but rallied to score 75.50. He remarked on the stress of waiting after reaching 12th place, adding to the excitement of the competition.
The upcoming final offers a thrilling opportunity for Barbieri and his teammates to showcase their skills against some of the world’s best snowboarders. Fans are eager to see if their hard work and determination will lead to a podium finish for Team USA.
