ZHANGJIAKOU, China 鈥� Every time Elizabeth Hosking competes at an Olympics she leaves wanting more.
Hosking, from Longueuil, Que., placed sixth in women's snowboard halfpipe on Thursday at the Beijing Olympics, improving 13 spots from the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. She said getting significantly closer to the podium has just added fuel to her fire.
"It's a big achievement going to the Olympics, but I guess I'm just a person that is never settled," said Hosking, noting that she and coach Brian Smith often have to take a step back to rein in their expectations.
"We always want more and I feel like if I didn't want more than I wouldn't want to continue snowboarding competitively.
"You know, that's what fires me. I just want better for myself and better for my competitive career."
American Chloe Kim successfully defended her Olympic title throwing down a 94.00 in her first run to win gold.
Spain's Queralt Castellet (90.25) took home the silver and Japan's Tomita Sena (88.25) finished with bronze.
Hosking's second run of the day earned her 79.25 points, putting her in fourth until Castellet's silver-medal performance and Japan's Tomita Ruki's fifth-place 80.50 knocked the Canadian down two spots.
Calgary's Brooke D'Hondt, making her Olympics debut, finished 10th with a score of 66.75. The 16-year-old D'Hondt is the youngest member of Canada's Olympic delegation at the Beijing Olympics.
"I was super excited to just be here," she said. "It's been a goal of mine for a while so I'm so honoured to be here representing Canada."
Hosking empathizes with her teammate, as she was the youngest member of Canada's Olympic team at Pyeongchang when she was also 16.
"I came from being literally the youngest in the whole Canadian delegation to now being the eldest in my discipline and I'm still only 20," said Hosking.
Overcoming impostor syndrome was a challenge for Hosking at the 2018 Winter Olympics. She said that when she arrived at the Pyeongchang Games she didn't know anyone except her coaches. All of her competitors she knew by reputation alone.
"I was coming in here and I was like 'This is crazy. I know the whole field I know even all of the men,'" said Hosking. "Now especially today I landed a run everyone comes up to me like 'Yo, like sick! Congrats on landing your run! That was sick!'"
Added Hosking with a laugh: "Obviously, snowboarder lingo."
Both Hosking and D'Hondt were excited to have two Canadian women in the Olympic final and what it means for their sport.
"I think it's a huge deal. Women's halfpipe in Canada has arrived and we're ready," said D'Hondt.
At 20 and 16 years old the duo of Hosking and D'Hondt both hope to be competing alongside each other for several more Olympic quadrennials.
"These weren't my last Olympics. I'm super excited to go to Italy," said Hosking, referring to the 2026 Milano-Cortina Games. "To go to a Europe Olympics, I'm excited for that."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 10, 2022.
John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press
