Winter Olympics 2022: Snowboarding star Tess Coady claims first Aussie medal

Snowboard star Tess Coady defied a torn ligament and four years of heartbreak to win Australia’s first Winter Olympic medal in Beijing.

Australia's Tess Coady competes in the snowboard women's slopestyle final run during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at the Genting Snow Park H & S Stadium in Zhangjiakou on February 6, 2022. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP)

In the hours before the Olympic slopestyle final where St Kilda’s Tess Coady won a bronze medal, she had a few things running through her mind. There was the sore ankle, which Australian medicos had diagnosed as a torn ligament in the side of her foot and a determination “not to be mediocre’’ inspired by a podcast of Sage Kotsenburg, she had been listening to.

Kotsenburg was famed for introducing a new trick he had not even practiced to win the 2014 Olympic slopestyle gold medal.

Also in the back of Coady’s mind for the past four years was the nightmare of PyeongChang where she was blown off the course during a practice session, ripping her knee apart and requiring surgery.

A friend, Stu Smith, had told her she had earned her freedom by just making the final. “He said to me ‘the last four years have been lifted off my shoulders’ and you know making the finals is winning to me, it is so hard to make the finals’’.

Tess Coady after her bronze medal run. Picture: Marco Bertorello/AFP

Tess Coady on the podium. Picture: Ben Stansall/AFP

And her coach Stan Woo had stressed that the latest injury was not too bad and to “grit your teeth for a couple of hours’’.

So on the chairlift ride to the top of the Genting Snow Park Coady, 21, plugged in her headphones and tried to get into the “flow state” listening to Australian band DMA’s and The Regrettes’s California Dreaming.

And in the first of three runs in the final, Coady nailed the first, had a small hiccup in the second and then having seen her good friend, Sydney born Kiwi Zoi Sadowski Synnott land a stellar first run, pulled out similar tricks for her final effort. Ringing in her ears was Katsenburg’s warning about being mediocre and she wanted to finish with something more spectacular.

The judges were impressed, giving Coady a best of three result of 84.15 points, but she was just shy of the experienced American rider Julia Marino who had scored 87.68 points and of Sadowski-Synnott’s first run 84.51 points.

Tess Coady (R) claimed Australia’s first medal of the Games. Picture: Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

Coady getting aerial. Picture: AFP

That put her in the bronze medal position, but there were seven more to finish, five of whom could have slipped Coady down the rankings.

For what seemed like an eternity she was in that vulnerable third place spot.

“It is kind of stressing because they put you down the bottom standing in front of the camera and its pretty nerve racking,’’ said Coady.

“I didn’t think my score was going to hold because I knew who else was coming down, they are so talented and for sure I thought they would land (their tricks), so I was just telling myself I was really proud of what I had done just getting here.’’

But one after one of her rivals fell short of Coady’s mark, the most dangerous moment being Japan’s Kokomo Murase who fell on the last feature after executing a technically high level of tricks.

Coady was thrilled, hugging Marino. All that was left to decide was the gold medal. Sadowski Synnott was the form rider, having just won the X-Games, but in her second run she had crashed.

But in her final effort the 20 year old New Zealander decided to go for broke, and overtook Marino, 24, for the gold medal, nailing a particularly sky high final double trick.

Coady and Marino knew immediately who the winner was and rushed to pile in on an elated Sadowski Synnott.

“Zoi went so big, people probably don’t understand how hard it is to land where she landed because there’s a lot more impact,’’ said Coady.

One of the first to congratulate Coady, who continued to beam all day, was Scotty James who had been practicing on the halfpipe just metres away during her competition.

Said Coady: “I haven’t seen him at all for the whole season, which is crazy, so it’s so nice to finally see him and say hi, because he is such a God," she said, revealing that James’ “working his ass off” in the gym had helped her throughout her own injury rehabilitation. Woo came across and gave her a huge hug telling how proud he was.

“That means so much to me, he is such an incredible coach, “said Coady.

She said her family back home, especially mum Kate, would be celebrating even wilder than herself. Coady intends on having a quiet a few beers tonight.

Coady’s mother Kate said she could not be prouder of her daughter.

“Her journey to the podium started years ago – you can’t underestimate the hard work that has gone into this win,” Ms Coady said.

“After her ACL injury, this medal is a testament to her consistency, determination and hard work.”

Ms Coady said the team of people supporting her daughter was extensive and powerful.

“It’s not just family and friends, it’s the coaches, the physios, doctors – but also the other athletes,” she said.

“Zoi and Tess are good friends and have been competing against each other for years now, so the fact that they shared the podium today is very special. We’re just so delighted and proud that she got up there today and does what she does best.”