David Wise puts it down when it matters most to win his second Olympic halfpipe gold
Aug 31, 2018·Freeski Park & Pipe
PyoengChang (KOR) - David Wise (USA) brushed off disasters in his first two runs to bag a second Olympic gold medal in the men's ski halfpipe at Phoenix Snow Park, four years after winning the event when it debuted at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.
The 27-year-old lost a ski twice during Thursday's final before scoring 97.20 at the third time of asking to edge ahead of teammate Alex Ferreira.
"I'm honestly just in disbelief right now," WISE said. "Winning, losing, whatever. Just the fact that I landed that run in the moment when it needed to happen, on that that third run, just felt so good.
With the victory in Korea, Wise became the second athlete to win two gold medals in freestyle skiing, after Alexandre Bilodeau (CAN) came on top of the podium twice in men's moguls at Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014.
Ferreira also could not hide his joy at landing all three of his runs, the pick of them earning 96.40 points to give him silver.
"I'm fired up, baby. I'm so stoked, I'm so happy for my family to come out and all my best friends, for something so magical. I'll never forget it. I'm unbelievably pumped. I'm elated," Ferreira said.
Bronze went to 16-year-old Nico Porteous (NZL), who gave New Zealand its second medal of the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games two hours after Zoi Sadowski Synnot clinched third place in the ladies' big air in snowboard.
"I'm pretty confused about what's going on. I just can't believe it," Porteous said.
The teenager admitted to feeling nervous before the finals but managed to put down a solid first run before impressing the judges in his second, a score of 94.80 briefly putting him on top of the leaderboard before Wise and Ferreira laid down their best efforts.
"I was very nervous before dropping in and I had a lot of help from my sport psychologist, he's an absolute legend," Porteous said. "I honestly don't know why it went so well. I honestly have no clue."
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