DAY FOUR PM: TEAM IRELAND IN BEIJING 2022
ELSA DESMOND FINISHES HER OLYMPIC CAMPAIGN ON A HIGH
Team Ireland’s Elsa Desmond finished her Olympic campaign with another clean run in the Women’s Singles Luge at the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing. The first time Olympian finished her third run with a time of 1:02.254, which was her second fastest on the track. Added to run one and two, she finished her event in 33rd position with an overall time of 3:03.07.719.
In tonight’s runs in the Women’s Singles, the top twenty athletes from run three moved to the final round, meaning that Desmond’s third run was her final one. The competition was won by Germany’s Natalie Geisenberger, ahead of her teammate Anna Berrieter. Russia’s Tatyana Ivanova won the bronze medal.
Speaking about her run, Desmond said,
“This is the second fastest time that I ever got here, there was definite issues between curve two and three. I’ve only ever got it right twice prior to this. It’s a section I haven’t got my head around and you get that sometimes. But unlike yesterday’s second run I recovered it much quicker, and I managed to relax into the sled I didn’t manage to do in the second run yesterday.
“I had a couple of taps with my feet down, but it was nothing major. It was consistent with training but a little bit quicker. I’ll take it, I finished three runs, I couldn’t be happier.”
The 24-year-old is the first Irish athlete to finish competition, and enjoyed the moment of relief to have ended on a high,
“I’ve dreamed of this as long as I can remember and I’m here and I did it and I didn’t do anything ridiculous and end up on my face. Why would I not be absolutely ecstatic. I know my parents are at home watching and wish they were here and will be so so proud. I can’t wait to talk to them, I know my mum will be in tears.”
Tomorrow Team Ireland will have two athletes in action, with Tess Arbez competing in the Slalom, and Seamus O’Connor set to become a three-time Olympian, competing in the Snowboard Halfpipe qualifying rounds.
Arbez was determined to have a better day tomorrow than on Monday in the Giant Slalom, where she was listed as one of nineteen non-finishers. Describing the icy course, Arbez is clearly looking to put the stress of the first event behind her,
“I was a bit sad because I crashed during the first run, the snow was really difficult, it was not like the day before when we just did free ski on the slope. The snow was really good on that day, and yesterday it was really icy snow, and it surprised a lot of girls who crashed and came out. That is not what we usually see on a GS race.
“I think I was really stressed for the Giant Slalom because it was the first race of the Olympics so now this is gone. I had my bad race and now I can just focus and forget about the stresses. Now I know what I have to do to be better.”
RESULTS: LUGE
Women’s Singles
Gold Natalie Geisenberger (GER) 3:53.454 – after 4 runs
Silver Anna Berrieter (GER) 3:53.947 – after 4 runs
Bronze Tatyana Ivanova (ROC) 3:54.507 – after 4 runs
33 – Elsa Desmond (IRL) 3:07.719 – after 3 runs
SCHEDULE 9 FEBRUARY AM
02:15 Tess Arbez, Alpine Skiing, Slalom Run #1
04:30 Seamus O’Connor, Snowboard Halfpipe Qualifying #1
05:21 Seamus O’Connor, Snowboard Halfpipe Qualifying #2
05:45 Tess Arbez, Alpine Skiing, Slalom Run #2
For full schedules, results and information on Team Ireland head to www.olympicsdev.wpengine.com, and
DOWNLOAD THE TEAM IRELAND MEDIA GUIDE HERE
The updated schedule for Team Ireland in Beijing 2022 can be found HERE.