Mosman snowboarder Holly Crawford launches crowd-funding campaign to get to her fourth Winter Olympics

HAVING her funding cut hasn’t stopped snowboarding veteran Holly Crawford’s bid to reach another Olympics. With the help of her brother Andrew, she’s turned to the people.

Andrew Crawford is helping his sister Holly’s bid for a fourth Winter Olympics. Picture: Adam Ward

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MOSMAN’S Holly Crawford is one tough cookie — having bravely announced a bid for her fourth Winter Olympics.

The halfpipe snowboard champion, 32, is determined to compete despite setbacks that would defeat the most resolute athlete.

At the Sochi Olympics, in 2014, Holly competed despite breaking a wrist and cracking ribs three weeks before.

Holly Crawford competing at the FIS Snowboard World Championship in Stoneham, Quebec.

Her brother Andrew Crawford, a former dancer with the Sydney Dance Company, has organised an appeal to fund his sister’s bid.

“If people knew how brave she is, they would support that bravery,” he said.

“I have so much respect for Holly. She’s been beaten down so many times with injuries but she’s still got what it takes to win a medal. She’s a real role model.”

Holly attended Mosman Primary and Mosman High School and lives at Balmoral. Andrew suspects her love of snowboarding began as a child when Holly would tear around Balmoral on a skateboard.

Andrew Crawford is hoping that people support his sister’s bravery.

Holly has won a string of gold and silver at World Championships and competed at the Torino, Vancouver and Sochi Olympics but without scoring a medal. She is now training for the Korea Winter Olympics in 2018.

Holly admits the half pipe is an extreme sport that can be terrifying to both watch and execute.

“But I have got a real chance to make the final — I have the experience, I’ve taken the hits and it can be anyone’s game on the day,” she said.

Holly’s sport funding has been cut, hence the appeal for crowd funding. To donate visit: www.gofundme.com/HOLLYSKOREA

A FINE CAREER

Triple Olympian Holly Crawford made her Games debut at the Torino Winter Olympics in 2006, finishing 18th in the Snowboard Halfpipe. Four years on, Crawford jumped up the standings, finishing eighth in the same event at the Vancouver 2010 Games. Unfortunately she could not improve on that result at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, where she competed under an injury cloud and finished 26th.

Holly flies high at Whistler Mountain. Picture: Ben Alexander

Crawford has had a successful, albeit injury-hampered career. Crawford claimed silver at the 2009 World Championships in Korea- Australia’s first Snowboard Halfpipe World Championship medal. She went on to win the World Championship crown in 2011, and claim another silver medal in 2013.

Crawford delivered Australia’s a podium finish — silver — at the Sochi Olympic test event in 2013. But in doing so she aggravated a longstanding injury to her rib cage cartilage. She went into the Sochi Games carrying injuries from a crash three weeks before the Games where she broke her left wrist, banged her knee and cracked some ribs.

Source: Australian Olympic Committee