Updated 16.20
IRISH SNOWBOARDER SEAMUS O’Connor has failed to qualify for the Winter Olympics halfpipe final.
The 16-year-old finished ninth out of 12 in the semis, with the top six riders guaranteed a place in the final at Rosa Khutor Extreme Park.
All eyes will now be own America’s Shaun White as he bids for his third straight gold in the competition later this evening.
After coming through qualification this morning, O’Connor’s score of 54.00 left him in fourth place after the first run.
But when he tried a more ambitious routine on his second attempt, he crashed out before the end and scored just 43.00.
That left him clinging on to an unlikely qualification spot and facing an anxious wait.
He was gradually overtaken by the field’s more experienced riders, putting a debut Olympic final just out of reach.
The final begins this evening at 5.30pm.
– First published 11.46
