Beijing Winter Olympics: Relive all the Aussie action and big talking points
Australian skeleton racer Jackie Narracott says a good result in her final will help drive a vision which means as much to her as gold — getting girls back into sliding.
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Australian slider Jackie Narracott will go into the skeleton final on Saturday as hot favourite after sitting atop the leaderboard after two runs.
Narracott, 31, is in prime position to become the first Australian to win a medal in the sport and is 0.21sec ahead on accumulated time from Germans Hannah Neise and Tina Hermann. China’s Zhao Dan is fourth, 0.32sec behind Narracott.
“I had my husband (Dom, British Olympic bronze medallist) and my coach here by my side, whereas all year we’ve been doing it via FaceTime and with video,’’ she said.
“So to have him by my side, he’s seeing the ice that I’m seeing, we can do video in real time and to have that support with me is huge.”
Narracott described her runs on Friday as smooth and flowy but said there were still small areas she can improve.
The Queenslander showed she would be a contender by winning the prestigious St Moritz World Cup in January.
She had prepared for the Games by training at the University of Bath, near her British home with Parsons, but throughout the pandemic was practising at the sliding centre in PyeongChang, South Korea.
When asked if she was surprised to be leading at this stage of the Olympic competition, she said, “yes and no. This field is ridiculously competitive, so to be sitting on top of it is phenomenal.
“It was always going to be a good race and I knew that if I could put down two runs where I was calm and composed, I was going to be in the mix.
“But that still doesn’t make it any less exciting to be sitting number one.”
Narracott said she would try and distract herself in the leadup to the final two runs.
“I will try not to think too far ahead,’’she said.
But Narracott, the niece of Australian sprinter Paul Narracott, the first Australian to compete at a summer games in sprinting in Los Angeles and the Winter Olympics in bobsleigh in Albertville, is well aware of how a good result will boost funding for the next generation of Australian sliders.
“This would be absolutely unreal. It might actually get some girls back into skeleton. Maybe a program, it will be unbelievable. It’s really asking a little bit too much. Let’s start moving some girls back into the sliding. Just kind of indescribable, I guess.”
AUSSIE RECORD MEDAL BID SUDDENLY VERY REAL
A lucky last-minute break has given Australia an extra shot at winning a record fourth medal at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
The Australian team has just been handed a second spot in the mixed team snowboard cross event, taking place in the mountains near Beijing on Saturday, after the Czech Republic withdrew.
As the reigning world champions in the event — which has been added to the Olympic program for the time — Australia was already guaranteed one spot, which selectors said would be filled by Belle Brockhoff and Cam Bolton, who were the best placed Aussies from the individual races.
Next on the waiting list for a second team, Australian officials were notified on Friday that an extra place was available, which selectors said would go to Josie Baff and Adam Lambert, who got the nod ahead of Jarryd Hughes, who won individual silver at the last Olympics and also teamed up with Brockoff to win the mixed world title.
Only 16 teams qualified for the mixed event which will run over three stages; quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final.
There will be four teams in each race with the top two from the quarters and semis advancing to the next stage.
The two Australian teams have been drawn together in the second quarter-final, against the United States and Switzerland.
Australia went into the snowboard cross events with high hopes of winning a medal but came up short in both the men’s and women’s individual races with Brockhoff finishing fourth and Bolton eliminated in the quarterfinals.
But any medal in the team event would be an historic one for Australia because it would be the team’s fourth, setting a record for a single Winter Olympics.
“There are a lot of variables in border cross,” Bolton said. “ So hopefully there is a little bit of redemption around the corner in the team event.”
RUSSIA’S FIGHT TO KEEP TEEN DRUG CHEAT’S GOLD MEDAL
The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) has claimed teen skater Kamila Valieva had the right to compete in Beijing and that her gold medal should stand, despite her failed drug test.
In a statement, the ROC claimed Valieva had ‘the right to train and take part in competitions in full without restrictions until the Court of Arbitration for Sport decides otherwise.’
It tried to reason that, since her test was taken before the Games, her gold medal from the figure skating team event should not be ‘subject to automatic review’ and wanted to ‘draw attention to the fact’ that a test Valieva had taken during the Olympics ‘gave a negative result.’
In a separate statement Russia’s Figure Skating Federation had ‘no doubt about the honesty and purity of its athlete.’
It would ‘make every effort to clarify the circumstances of the incident and provide the athlete with the necessary complete assistance and support.’
The IOC and the International Skating Union are appealing against Russia’s decision to allow Valieva to continue competing in Beijing after the 15-year-old tested positive for trimetazidine — a metabolic agent that is prescribed for the treatment of angina and vertigo.
It is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency because it can increase blood flow efficiency and help endurance.
The case will be decided by the Court of Arbitration for Sport before February 15, when Valieva is scheduled to take part in the individual event at the Olympics, the International Testing Agency (ITA) said in a statement.
AUSSIE STUNS WORLD TO EMERGE AS SHOCK GOLD THREAT
Australia has a shock gold medal contender in the most dangerous event on ice with Jackie Narracott qualifying fastest in the women’s Skeleton.
Narracott topped the qualifying time sheets with a combined time of 2:04.34 from her two runs to be ahead of German duo Hannah Neise (2:04.55) and Tina Hermann (2:04.57).
The Australian has been the most consistent in the morning heats, placing in the top three in both her runs.
“I am stoked. There’s more in both of those runs,” she told Channel 7.
“But I don’t care, it's just so much fun.”
Narracott described her qualifying runs in the helter-skelter sport as “calm” and “fun”.
“To be sitting in first after day one is more than I could have hoped for, dreamt for,” she said.
She said she hoped Australia would get behind her quest for an unlikely gold after snowboarder Scotty James went so close on Friday.
The women’s Skeleton gold medal will be decided on Saturday night with two more runs.
TEARFUL SCOTTY’S SWEET MOMENT WITH LEGEND
Snowboard GOAT Shaun White has crashed Scotty James’ tearful post-medal interview.
As James choked up while paying tribute to his family after he won a momentous silver medal in the half-pipe final in Beijing, White made a beeline for the Aussie, the emotional pair embracing in a mark of respect.
SCROLL DOWN FOR A BLOW-BY-BLOW RE-CAP OF HOW SCOTTY DID IT
“I’m so proud,” White, who finished fourth in his last competitive event, said to James.
“Even in qualifying, they were asking me about my favourites and you have been on my heels every step of the way.
“It’s been emotional. I’m proud of you, man.”
James said, during the interview on Seven, White had inspired him throughout his career.
“It’s OK to be upset, I just about started crying myself,” James told White.
“I have never expressed it to Shaun, huge respect to him, the guy is the GOAT.
“It’s a really tough and interesting situation when you come up against a guy like Shaun White, who I looked up to when I was younger and I aspired to be like you.
“I have got a lot of respect for him but, as a competitor, I almost have to get rid of the respect because we’re both out there (to win).”
"I'm trying not to cry in the background!" 😅
— 7Olympics (@7olympics) February 11, 2022
The level of respect between Shaun White and Scotty James 💯#Beijing2022 | #7Olympicspic.twitter.com/wcgxV3OY8M
‘Incredible journey’: Thrilled Aussie claims snowboard silver
—Todd Balym
Heartbreak and heroic for Scotty James all in one.
Australia’s snowboarding champion had his hands on the gold medal until an epic final run by Japan’s Auyumu Hirano to snatch the gold medal and hand James the silver medal.
After a bronze medal at the 2018 Olympic Games, triple world champion James was so close to gold but will leave Beijing so proud with his performance after having his hands on the gold medal until the very last moment.
It was a stunning performance from James, he leaves Beijing with a silver medal, but it took a moment of utter brilliance by Hirano to deny Australia their second gold medal of the Games.
Ayumu clinched the gold medal with an epic 96.00 final ride to surge past James who posted a 92.50 points with his second run while Switzerland’s Jan Scherrer took the bronze with 87.25 points.
In the end it was James had the technical brilliance but Ayumu threw absolutely everything at the last run and came up trumps.
The humble ‘Wizard from Warrandyte’ could not be more thankful after the event.
“Thank you so much, I really hope people don’t think that I’m at all disappointed,” James said.
“I am absolutely over the moon and I came out, gave it my best shot, that’s all we can ask for as athletes.
“I work really hard, it’s been an incredible journey and to stand on the podium at the Olympic Games is an incredible feat.
“I don’t have too many words for it right now, honestly, I’m absolutely thrilled.”
The proud Aussie already has one eye on the next Winter Games.
“For me, as an Australia, aside form just being here and to be even competing with these guys, from where we come from is just a lot of pride,” he said.
“If I can display that and ride like that and just pour my heart into what I’m doing then I’ve had success.
“I’m still really young, I still have a lot of vision.
“I’m very driven, and I made the joke before that I’ve got the bronze, I’ve got the silver, and now I need to finish off my collection for the pool room with gold in Italy.”
American legend Shaun White was in tears as he farewelled the sport in fourth place.
“Thank you everybody, thank you snowboarding. It’s been my life,” White said.
“You don’t always get what you want but you get what you need.
“There is so much to look forward to, this is just the beginning for me.
“There’s so much I want to do in my life. I’d love a family.”
Australian teen Valentino Guseli finished in sixth place, with his highest score of 79.75 points, although commentators all agreed he was underscored on the final run.
Guseli was the only man in the final to execute every run and at the age of 16 he is certainly a star of the future.
He paid tribute to his support network and revealed he was struggling at the top of the ‘icy taco’.
“The people you spend your time around are who you kinda turn into, in a way,” he said.
“Who you surround yourself with, influences the way you are.
“So it’s super important to have a really good team behind me.
“I’m super thankful for my coach, who really just held me together up there, because, you know, I wasn’t feeling great before my first run.
“I’m super thankful for him and all the physios and everyone who’s come from Australia to help out.”
SCOTTY’S SILVER: HOW THE FINAL PLAYED OUT
1.56pm: Scotty James has claimed silver. Auyumu Hirano has snatched the gold medal with an epic 96.00 final ride. Heartbreak for Australia and heartbreak for Scotty James. Silver is still sensational, though! Guseli said James’ effort was “Awesome”. “I am stoked for him, he upped his performance last year and I am sure he will up it again next Olympics.”
1.51pm: Scotty James has stumbled on his last run. He was on a screamer but pulled out before his final trick. He now faces the most anxious minute of his life to see if he can hold on for gold. James landed a bit on his heels and lost momentum before the final trick. His score of 47.75 doesn’t count, it now all comes down to Ayumu Hirano’s last run. James will sit at the bottom of the icy taco and watch.
1.48pm: Ruka Hirano has fallen again. Scotty James guaranteed at least a silver medal – his best Olympic result – but is still got a grip on the gold. Jan Scherrer is now your guaranteed bronze medallist.
1.47pm: Fun fact: Aussie teen Valentino Guseli is the only man in the final to complete three runs without a fall. Everyone else has at least stumbled once, but the teen has nailed it every time. He is the most consistent man in the final, but could certainly feel robbed of a better result with even the commentators questioning his low score on the final run.
1.46pm: Shaun White has fallen. He won’t win a medal. But that guarantees a medal for Australia’s Scotty James. He can’t get knocked off the podium. There are only three riders to go, including Scotty James. It’s Australia v Japan. C’mon Scotty, you got this!
1.42pm: Here goes the kid. He’s claimed it! Arms in the air, he is pumped with that one. “Oh my goodness.” Is this a medal run? “Thankyou Olympics, it’s been fun.” But the judges have underscored it. Valentino Guseli only posts 79.75 with that last run. Don’t worry Australia, this kid is a major medal threat for the future.
1.39pm: First round leader Taylor Gold has fallen on his final run. He won’t be in the medals here. That’s a relief for Australia – he was a major threat. Scotty is still in the gold medal position.
1.34pm: Okay, four runs down only eight to go. Scotty James is still in the gold medal position. The pressure is getting to these guys as they all know they have to go big or go home. Shaun White is still the danger man. He’s currently in fourth and don’t forget, he dropped a 97.75 four years ago to snatch gold with his last run. Jan Scherrer has fallen on his first trick. He’s still in third and tentatively got his hands on the bronze medal. Seven riders still to go …
SCOTTY JAMES GET IT MY BROTHER 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 @scottyjames31
— Dylan Alcott (@DylanAlcott) February 11, 2022
1.27pm: We now have 12 runs to go to see who wins gold. Is this Australia’s moment? Can Scotty James win gold? Get behind him Australia — this is history in the making.
SECOND RUNS: JAMES IN FIRST PLACE
1.26pm: Okay, calm the nerves. We are so, so close to Australia’s second gold medal on the Beijing Olympic Games. Scotty James leads after the second run with 92.50. Japan’s gold medal favourite Ayumu Hirano is second with 91.75 and Switzerland’s Jan Scherrer is currently in the bronze position with 87.25 points.
JAMES’ SECOND RUN:
1.22pm: Scotty has nailed it! What a run. Try to keep up here, but this is gonna be huge. A 92.50 that puts him in the gold medal position. Scotty nailed a frontside 1440 with his final trick to put the heat on everyone else. Is that the gold medal run? He has the top score in the bag and now the pressure is on everyone else to match his excellence. “Scotty James has just thrown down one of the most crazy technical runs we have ever seen.”
1.18pm: Here comes the GOAT. US star Shaun White has just dropped a 85.00, jumping up to second This is White’s last Olympics – can he win a fourth gold medal? He’ll need to go bigger and better on the final run for the fairytale. Aussie Guseli now drops out of the medals with one run to go.
GUSELI’S SECOND RUN:
1.14pm: Aussie kid Valentino Guseli has nailed it. What a run. This kid has ice running through his veins. He’d dropped from second to fourth before his second run but just like that he drops a stunning run of 79.75 to jump back up into the bronze medal position.
1.09pm: Japan’s Kaishu Hirano had a crazy run but on his last trick he failed to stick the landing, falling heavily on his shoulder. His score of 37.75 showed that if he can complete a full run, his scores could push into the medals.
1.04pm: Switzerland’s Jan Scherrer has rocketed into the lead, his 87.25 score on the second run putting him into the gold medal position with the top riders still with two runs to go.
1pm: Take a breath Australia. There’s two more runs to go. Scotty James still has an opportunity to win gold while young Val is looking the goods too. At the 2018 Winter Olympics legend Shaun White waited til his last run to snatch gold with an epic 97.75 score, while Ayumu Hirano claimed silver in 95.25 and Scotty James took bronze in 2018 with 92.00 points. So – there’s lots of high scores still to drop in this final.
FIRST RUNS:
Taylor Gold leading halfpipe final after run 1.
— Bill Mallon (@bambam1729) February 11, 2022
If he wins he becomes the first Gold to win Gold at the Olympic Games - Summer or Winter
12.57pm: Wow. Japan’s Ayumu Hirano has nailed a frontside triple cork — only the second time it’s ever happened in a competition — but has fallen later in his run missing out on a massive chance to post a huge first round score. Ayumu scored 33.75, but needs a perfect run to post a massive score. American Taylor Gold is the early front runner with 81.75 as Australia’s Valentino Guseli sits in second place.
JAMES’ FIRST RUN:
12.54pm: Australia’s Scotty James fell on his second trick — a switch back cav — to fail to post a decent score on his first run. The triple Olympian is throwing it all on the line but now has two high pressure runs to save his campaign. Only the highest score from the competitors three runs counts, so James just needs to nail one of his last two attempts to claim gold.
12.50pm: Japan’s Ruka Hirano, who is unrelated to gold medal favourite Ayumu Hirano, fell after failing to land his second trick on his first run. He still has two runs to post a competitive score.
12.49pm: American legend Shaun White, the triple Olympic gold medallist, put down a solid marker with his first run but only scored 72.00 points to be fourth, with three men still to go. American Taylor Gold is the early leader with an 81.75.
GUSELI’S FIRST RUN:
12.44pm: Aussie 16-year-old Valentino Guseli made a solid start to his final, posting a score 75.75 to move into second position with the four highest seeds still to go in the opening round. The teen is known as such a big aerialist that the television cameras appeared to miss half of his run as he launched out of camera view.
12.38pm: Japan’s Kaishu Hirano made a stunning start to the snowboard half-pipe final soaring to 6.1m above the half-pipe on his opening trick. on the way to a 75.50 score to set the early pace. Australia’s teen star Valentino Guseli is yet to jump but holds the record of 7.3m air. Kaishu is the younger brother of gold medal favourite Ayumu who will be the last of the 12 finalists to jump. Commentators are now questioning if the measuring stick was broken for Kaishu as his first air was considered the highest they’ve seen at the Olympics in Beijing so far.
12.19pm: Scotty James’ moment of truth has almost arrived.
One of the favourites to win the gold medal in the men’s half-pipe at the Beijing Winter Olympics, the scene is set for him to succeed.
The bitter cold that left competitors shivering in Beijing has been replaced by perfect blues skies in the Zhangjiakou mountains where the snowboarding half-pipe final is about to start.
James is one of just 12 men through to the final.
Each of the finalists will get three runs down the icy tube with their best score from any of the runs.
With an assortment of tricks in his armoury, James is one of the favourites to win the gold after qualifying second.
His biggest rival is Japanese sensation Ayumu Hirano but defending champion Shaun White cannot be discounted. Nor can rising Aussie teenage star Valentino Guseli.
This will get confusing, but top-seed Ayumu Hirano is not related to No. 3-seed Ruka Hirano — but Kaishua Hirano is the brother of Ayumu.
With the order decided on qualifying, James will go second last, just before Ayumu Hirano.
The three rounds are expected to take about an hour to complete.
Scotty’s chance at Olympic glory
Scotty James is among the favourites to win the gold medal in the half-pipe at the Beijing Winter Olympics today.
The greatest male snowboarder Australia has produced, James won a bronze four years ago and already has a stockpile of world and X Games titles – but the Olympic gold is the crown jewel missing from his collection.
WINTER OLYMPICS LIVE: Follow Scotty James and Valentino Guseli in the men’s half-pipe final here from 12.30pm AEDT
On form, he’s got a great shot at winning because he is able to perform a series of death-defying tricks that the judges love and will reward highly.
If he nails them all, it will take an extraordinary performance from his rivals to beat him, but he’s up against a star-studded field and the pressure is intense because the rewards are life-changing and it’s also a dangerous sport.
Also in the field is Aussie young Valentino Guseli, who is billed as snowboarding’s best kept secret. Guseli is known among the riders as someone so exciting he will change the sport – he is also just 16.
Looming large over all is American legend Shaun White.
The three-time Olympic champion — who is twice the age of some of his rivals — will retire from competition after Beijing and is determined to go out with a bang.
Why Winter Olympics moment brought NRL hardman to tears
By Dean Ritchie
He was the hardened prop who won an NRL premiership, played State of Origin and represented Australia.
Yet on Wednesday night, big Michael Weyman was reduced to tears.
The former Dragons, Blues and Kangaroos forward had just watched his 16-year-old nephew – Valentino Guseli – qualify for the Olympic final of the men’s snowboard half-pipe at Beijing.
Guseli, who qualified fifth, will fight out a 12-man final on Friday for an Olympic medal.
WINTER OLYMPICS LIVE: Follow Scotty James and Valentino Guseli in the men’s half-pipe final here from 12.30pm AEDT
A proud Weyman, who helped St George Illawarra win the 2010 NRL grand final, was there when Guseli was born and also when the youngster first hit the snow.
Guseli’s mother Kristen is sister to Weyman’s wife Alison. Mick and Alison married a week after Saints’ 2010 grand final win, nuptials a four-year-old Valentino attended.
The close-knit family from NSW’s south coast have marvelled at Guseli’s path to an Olympic final.
“To be honest, I shed a tear when he qualified for the final,” Weyman said. “I got quite emotional. He has the world at his feet.
“Valentino and I are really close – I spoke to him straight after he qualified.
“Geez he’s a good kid. He is a bloody cracker. He comes from good stock.
“I’ve told him over the years to keep doing what’s he’s doing and to enjoy it; have a grin from ear-to-ear and never forget where you’ve come from. He is a really good listener and now he’s in an Olympic final.
“When he was first born, I was at the Raiders and was out for the whole year with an ankle injury. We went to the snow for a couple of days because I just wanted something to do.
“There was this kid who first got on his snowboard. I was there for his first go. He took to it like s — t to a blanket. I thought ‘oh my God’ and I have been there ever since.
“We see each at Christmas and all the family events but he’s been overseas for a fair while now. He is one of those kids that chases his dreams and obviously he can’t do that in Australia.”
Asked if an Olympic medal would outdo his premiership ring, Weyman said: “I guarantee you it will. I was 26 years old when I won that competition and that meant the world to me. But Valentino is still a kid. When I was 16, I was still at school and hadn’t done anything.”
Chinese skater trolls frozen out on social media
Chinese social media site Weibo has deleted more than 41,000 posts and suspended or permanently removed 850 accounts after a torrent of messages criticising an athlete perceived to have failed during the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Zhu Yi, 19, a Chinese figure skater, was subjected to widespread “cyber-bullying” after she fell twice on the ice and ended her performance in tears on Monday. Her errors quickly became a hot online topic with comments demanding that she get out of the country.
Zhu’s detractors took issue with her US upbringing and her decision to compete for China.
They accused her of joining the national team at the expense of a home-born favourite and suggested corruption was involved in her selection. They also mocked Zhu’s poor language skills.
Weibo’s content reviewers removed posts deemed vitriolic against Zhu and deleted negative tags about her.
In a statement, the social media site advised users to be more sympathetic.
“There are always winners and losers in competitive sports, and everyone who has tried is a hero,” the microblogging site said.
“We call on the public not to attack and insult athletes over their errors.”
State media also came out to defend Zhu and urged the public to “understand and respect” athletes who didn’t perform well. Another social media site, Douyin, said that it would “severely crack down on cyber-bullying and disinformation targeted at athletes”.
Zhu acknowledged that negative online comments had put pressure on her.
However, Gu Ailing, another Chinese athlete who also was born and grew up in the US, argued that more than 90 per cent of the comments about Zhu were “positive and uplifting”.
China’s internet is one of the most censored in the world but cyber-bullying remains a problem as censors focus primarily on speech deemed unfriendly to the ruling party and its government, rather than mean-spirited remarks directed at individuals.
This article was first published by The Times
Go big, then go home: Aussie phenom plots final shock
By Jacquelin Magnay
Valentino Guseli is billed as snowboarding’s best kept secret. He is known among the riders as someone so exciting he will change the sport.
Yet “call me Val or Valentino, it doesn’t matter’’ is just 16 years old.
He hails from Dalmeny on the south coast of NSW where locals often drive past a handmade ramp and jump with big airbags built by Guseli’s grandfather, Guido, in his backyard down the road at Kianga. There was a small set too with the local council, but the temporary structure, as impressive as it is, is nothing like the expensive flash Geoff Henke Training facility water ramp in Brisbane.
On Friday all of that home grown practice will be drawn upon when Guseli is in the finals of the Beijing Olympic half-pipe competition.
The youngster regathered from a glitch in his first run on Wednesday, a sequence he had landed perfectly countless times before, to qualify fifth from the qualifying rounds, for the finals.
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Guseli told News Corp Australia that when he soars more than 7m into the air — he beat the world record for amplitude held by the famous American rider Shaun White last year — he feels he is flying.
“You’re just looking down on the half-pipe and as much as it is very dangerous — it’s a very painful place out there you know — you have to be at peace with yourself to be able to go out there,’’ he said.
“One little mistake can be not very much fun.’’
Guseli would know.
Last year he mistimed a trick in Saas-Fee, catching the edge of the half-pipe edge and smashing his forearm.
He was out for more than five weeks and that time being sidelined reinvigorated his love for the sport, triggered when he was an infant and his dad Ricardo and mother Kristen took him to the snow at Perisher and Thredbo.
Dressed in a bright orange one piece, Guseli became known as that flying kid around the slopes, often being the extra and roaring past the snow reports being aired.
But as natural a talent as he is, Guseli is polite and engaging with none of the ego expected of someone already signed to some big snowboarding contracts.
Ricardo has video from when Guseli was little more than a toddler, where he would stack three skateboards on top of each other to balance upon, for clearly riding one was not a sufficient challenge.
“When I was three my dad took me to the snow and I had gear to hop on for the first time and I just loved it, it was really fun and it was a bit of a challenge to get good at it,” he said.
Guseli says for all of his amplitude in the half-pipe he hasn’t yet mastered the triple cork, the terrify new trick where the riders are unable to safely withdraw if something goes wrong.
So his plan is to go big, very big.
Australia’s big medal hope Scotty James and some of the Japanese riders including the main threat Ayumu Hirano have performed the triple, which is three head over heel spins while twisting at the same time.
But even they are coy about whether they will need to pull it out of the bag to win the gold medal in Friday’s final.
Guseli says he will be content if he can be the highest flying snowboarder in the final and he may pull out a couple of different tricks, although he wanted to talk to his coach first before deciding the routine.
He said: “Hopefully I will have a bit more amplitude and I might up some of the tricks a bit and we will see. We will see where we end up.’’
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