Scary crash ruins Canada's chance at gold in mixed snowboard cross final

Team Canada won its third snowboard cross medal of the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games when Eliot Grondin and Meryeta O’Dine took home bronze in the inaugural mixed team event.

It was the second medal of the 2022 Games for both athletes, and required a fair share of determination, especially from O’Dine.

After Grondin, who is known for his quick starts, had Canada third heading into the all-women’s second leg of the final, it was up to O’Dine to bring home a medal. Midway through the race, disaster struck as she got tangled up with Italy's Caterina Carpano as they went over a jump, ultimately leading to the Italian landing directly on the Prince George, B.C., native's back.

With gold suddenly out of the question, the bronze medal belonged to whoever could recover the fastest. Thankfully for Canadians watching back home, the 24-year-old O’Dine was first to her feet, finishing ahead of Carpano and officially bringing Canada’s medal count to 13 as the Games near their halfway point.

Although the Canadian duo ended up over 23 seconds behind the gold medal winners, all that matters now is that there will be a second medal hanging around their necks when they make the trip home.

O’Dine will leave China with two bronzes, as she also placed third in the women’s event. The 20-year-old Grondin from Sainte-Marie, Que., added a bronze to his silver from the men’s event.

Mixed snowboard cross made its debut in Beijing after being introduced to the X Games back in 2006. Each gender must race one leg, with the second leg beginning with staggered start times depending on the results of the first heat.

The American duo of Nick Baumgartner and Lindsey Jacobellis took home the gold, while Omar Visintin and Michela Moioli of Italy finished with silver.

Liam Moffatt and Tess Critchlow, Canada’s other mixed team, were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

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