Billy Morgan through to men's Big Air snowboard final at Winter Olympics
Wednesday 21 February 2018 11:39, UK
Billy Morgan squeezed through to the men's Big Air snowboard final in sixth place, but British team-mates Jamie Nicholls and Rowan Coultas are out.
Max Parrot of Canada led the way in qualifying from heat one with 92.50, as Coultas scored a best of 84.50 and Nicholls 81.25, to place eighth and 11th, respectively.
Only the top six from each heat qualified for the final and Morgan improved his mark to 90.50 with his second effort. He stayed sixth to narrowly qualify for Saturday's final.
Morgan revealed build-up to qualification for the event, which is making its Olympic Games debut, had been far from ideal but that the "adrenaline" of the competition had seen him overcome some dizzy spells.
"I woke up this morning with a completely blocked ear and I had to go have it syringed," Morgan said.
"When I got here I was still feeling a bit dizzy but I think the adrenalin kicked in and took over and I was alright."
Morgan's second run put him in the top six and kept him there but the 28-year-old knows he faces a tough challenge to secure a medal for Great Britain.
"I needed to get the highest score I could for a back triple. Someone had to do a more technical trick to beat me. There are few guys who can do tricks but not with that grab," he said.
"I would need a lot of luck to podium now after seeing what's going on. But anything can happen, I will try my best."