Jarryd eyes his first Winter Olympic berth after splendid show at worlds in Canada

BOARDERCROSS snowboarder Jarryd Hughes believes he is on course to qualify for his first Winter Olympic Games.

Jarryd Huges

BOARDERCROSS snowboarder Jarryd Hughes believes he is on course to qualify for his first Winter Olympic Games.

Hughes, 16, of Greenwich, finished 11th at the FIS Snowboard World Championships in Canada.

The teenager has already met the minimum qualification criteria for next year's Olympics in Russia, but needs to be one of four men selected by the Australian Olympic Committee to secure his spot on the Australian team.

After finishing as the second highest Australian in Quebec, the teenager was optimistic of his chances of realising his Olympic dream.

"It felt amazing to finish eleventh at my first world championship against the biggest names in the sport," he said.

"To get through the first heat and then through to second and then to be leading the small final (6th-12th) three-quarters of the way to the finish, I knew I could match it with them all.

"I got taken out in the small final which happens in snowboardcross which was unfortunate, but it did not take away from the euphoria of the result."

Hughes said the Quebec course suited him and he was able to take advantage of some big jumps.

"I really loved that there were lots of big jumps on the course and the way they laid everything out so that there could be great racing all the way down the course," he said.

As the second-ranked Australian, Hughes said he was in a prime position to seal a place in the Australian Winter Olympics team.

"There are five guys competing for four spots and at this stage, I am number two in Australia," he said

"I need to just keep improving throughout this season and prior to the Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and January 2014 and be in the top four in Australia."

• Hughes is a 2012 Rebel Sport North Shore Times Junior Sports Star Award finalist.