Two-time Winter X Games champion Jenny Jones admitted making history was enough following her women’s snowboard slopestyle qualification heat at the Winter Olympics.
Much like fellow Brit Billy Morgan, Jones was not only drawn in the first of two qualification heats but given bib No.1 – making her the first woman to compete at Sochi 2014.
Jones scored 74.25 for her historic first run before cutting the second short and, despite falling agonisingly shy of the top four that advanced straight to the final, she was happy enough.
“It’s nice to have that. And I am glad to have landed my run being the first person to drop in. There were definitely some nerves,” said Jones, who finished fifth.
“I was really happy with the first run and then I was ready to step that up but unfortunately that wasn’t the case.
“I came off the cannon wrong [in the second run] and because I didn’t land well I wouldn’t have had enough speed to cut back over and get off the jump, so I just had to cut out.”
The semi-finals, held before the final on Sunday, are next up for Jones as well as fellow Team GB member Aimee Fuller, who scored a best of 44.50 from her two runs for tenth.
And Fuller is remaining upbeat about her chances of progressing from the semi-finals to the final as snowboard slopestyle, like her, makes its Olympic debut in Sochi.
“I am enjoying myself. I definitely didn’t get down what I wanted to get down so I am a little disappointed there,” she said.
“But I see it as a good building block for Sunday’s semi-finals. Riding in front of this big crowd is a completely new experience.
“I enjoyed every minute and when I didn’t land [my second run] I still continued on and made the most of it. I have had a good day.”
© Sportsbeat 2014