Comox snowboarder Carle Brenneman含羞草研究社檚 Olympic dream became a reality, Friday in Pyeongchang, Korea, as she competed for Canada in the women含羞草研究社檚 snowboard cross competition.
While, ideally, her day would have lasted two more runs - she was eliminated in the quarter-finals - the end result did little to dull the sheen of what has been a lifelong goal.
含羞草研究社淢aking it to the Olympics is something I have dreamed of as a kid - it含羞草研究社檚 definitely a huge accomplishment to be here,含羞草研究社� said Brenneman in a post-race interview with the Comox Valley Record. 含羞草研究社淲inning a medal is what I came here for so that would be the actual dream come true. I含羞草研究社檓 proud of the work I put in and I did everything I could to make that possible. Unfortunately it wasn含羞草研究社檛 my day and I am still proud of what I含羞草研究社檝e accomplished.含羞草研究社�
Her parents shared in the excitement, as they travelled to Korea to cheer on their Olympian daughter. They were at the finish line for the competition, and Carle含羞草研究社檚 mom, Lori, said it was both an exciting and nerve-wracking experience.
含羞草研究社淎s parents we were very nervous for Carle. The course was extremely tough and up until the day of the race wind has been a huge factor,含羞草研究社� she told The Record. 含羞草研究社淭here were a number of athletes that were injured during practice and qualifying rounds. I had the opportunity to talk to quite a few mothers of snowboard cross athletes, both men含羞草研究社檚 and women含羞草研究社檚, and with this course our strongest hope, as mothers, was for them to finish unscathed.含羞草研究社�
A teammate of Carle含羞草研究社檚 - Meryeta O含羞草研究社橠ine, of Prince George - was one of the aforementioned casualties. She crashed in training and a resulting concussion forced her to bow out of the competition.
Friday含羞草研究社檚 comp (Thursday evening in Canada) started with qualifying runs, to seed competitors. With only 24 competitors suiting up on race day, a spot in the quarters was assured, as long as a posted time was achieved.
含羞草研究社淭ime trails break down the heats and give you gate choice,含羞草研究社� said Brenneman. 含羞草研究社淥n the Olympic course it wasn含羞草研究社檛 make or break for lane choice so I wasn含羞草研究社檛 too worried.含羞草研究社�
Brenneman completed her first run in 1:21.57, tied for 16th, with teammate Zoe Bergermann, of North Vancouver.
Tess Critchlow of Kelowna was 15th overall.
A top-12 finish in Round 1 of qualifying would have advanced them directly to the quarter-finals. Instead, Brenneman and her teammates all had to go through the second round of qualifying.
Brenneman posted a time of 1:20.89 in Round 2, despite not feeling comfortable with her run.
含羞草研究社淭he second run was probably my worst run of my whole day,含羞草研究社� said Brenneman. 含羞草研究社淚 think I almost fell about five times. I almost gave up a few times but all those mistakes still made for a faster time then my first. It definitely gives you confidence when you get a good and fast run put in before finals.含羞草研究社�
Critchlow and Bergermann also improved their times, and ended up slotted in the same quarter-final heat QF2).
Brenneman was in the fourth quarter-final heat. She pinpointed her demise in the quarter-final to a specific part of the course.
含羞草研究社淚t was the five-roller jump between corner 1 and 2,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淚 ended up coming a little short on the top two that I was doubling. It killed my speed and I knew I含羞草研究社檇 have to fight to make it back. I tried to pass again in corner 2 and 5 but I unfortunately was not able to get a clean pass with a girl falling into my line in both corners.含羞草研究社�
She placed fourth in the heat, just 0.40 seconds behind Belle Brockhoff, of Australia. The top three finishers in each quarter-final moved on to the semis.
Critchlow advanced to the semifinals. She finished fourth in her semifinal heat, to advance to the consolation, or 含羞草研究社渟mall final,含羞草研究社� where she placed third.
Their final Olympic rankings were Critchlow, ninth; Brenneman, 14th; Bergermann (who had a DNF in her quarter-final), 23rd.
Lori said that while her daughter was disappointed with her early exit, that含羞草研究社檚 a feeling exclusive to the athletes.
含羞草研究社淥f course for the athletes themselves nothing but a podium was good enough. The fortitude and strength of these athletes is undeniable. Carle is disappointed that she didn含羞草研究社檛 achieve that podium placement for both herself as well as her many supporters. Our heart goes out to a Carle. For us as parents, we couldn含羞草研究社檛 be prouder.含羞草研究社�
Now that the competitive portion of her Olympic journey has concluded, Carle and her teammates can share the rest of the experience, with their respective families.
含羞草研究社淲e have been so focused on training and preparing for our event they we haven含羞草研究社檛 been able to really do anything yet,含羞草研究社� said Carle. 含羞草研究社淪o now we are going to watch as many events as possible soak in the whole Olympic experience and cheer on Canada.含羞草研究社�
Carle Brenneman will be 32 by the time the 2022 Winter Olympics take place in Beijing, China. Will she be back?
含羞草研究社淵eah I mean if I含羞草研究社檓 still enjoying it and my body can still handle it, then I含羞草研究社檓 all in,含羞草研究社� she said.
