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The Sandbach teenager pulled off two big runs under pressure to book her place in the final
Top British Olympic hope Mia Brookes went big — and very nearly went home.
Snowboarders are used to shredding it, but the only thing shredded last night were the nerves of those watching in minus-six temperatures.
Sandbach teenager Brookes has two big medal shots here in the Big Air and Slopestyle competitions.
The latter is considered her strongest event, but she still advanced to Monday’s Big Air final as the third-best qualifier — though she took the scenic route.
Qualifying is never good for the nerves. Only the top 12 of 29 advance to the final, with the best two scores from three runs counting.
Brookes, just 19, hit the deck with her first effort, leaving no margin for error in her final two runs.
She nailed her second, producing one of the best scores of qualifying, and then secured her place with her third.
Snowboarding has a confusing lexicon of its own, but when Brookes showed her steeze, didn’t bonk and stomped her landing, be assured — that’s a very good thing.
“That was insane, I loved it. Every minute was awesome, but it was definitely scary,” said Brookes, who is aiming to become the first British woman snowboarder to win an Olympic medal since Jenny Jones in 2014.
“After that first run, I was so nervous, but you just have to take your time at the top and not rush into anything.
“It really came out of me in an athlete way — keeping cool under pressure, not making rash decisions or rushing anything. It was nice to see that come from inside myself.
“You are definitely in the air thinking about it in the back of your mind… ‘Oh my God, I’ve got to land this.’
“The build-up to the Olympics was quite big in my mind, but when I got here it was chill.
“I never came here for gold — I came to have fun — but I’d have been upset not to make that final.”
Brookes’ parents are Vicky and Nigel Brookes, avid snowboarding enthusiasts who lived in Chamonix for five seasons.
They have loyally supported her early and unconventional career, which included training at Chill Factore in Manchester and travelling across Europe in a motorhome.
“They are staying down the road in the van — it means so much to have them here,” she added. “My gran will be cheering on at home too. She loves the Olympics.
“As much as I hate it in the moment, it is pressure moments like that that I just love. When you land, it is the best feeling on the planet. Everyone is cheering at you and it’s insane.”
Brookes will go for gold on Monday evening, with her best mate, freestyle skier Kirsty Muir, in action earlier in the day after also qualifying third for the women’s Slopestyle final.
“I have grown up with Kirsty — we have known each other since we were young — so to go into an Olympic final on the same day as her for Great Britain is really special,” she said.
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