Covell’s Olympics left on the brink in skate qualifying
Chloe Covell’s bid to create Australian Olympic history is on the brink after she suffered several crashes in street skateboard qualifying.
The 14-year-old star posted 246.73 from her five runs to be placed second in the opening heat on Sunday.
But with three more heats to come, featuring 16 skaters in total, Covell is no guarantee to make the final later on Sunday at the Concorde skate park in central Paris.
Only the top eight skaters will make the medal round and leading performers such as Brazilian Rayssa Leal and Japan’s Nakayama Funa were yet to compete.
China’s Cui Chenxi topped the standings in heat one with a 254.34, while Australian Liv Lovelace was last of the six skaters on 118.10.
Haylie Powell is the other Australian in the field, skating in heat three.
There is plenty of focus on Covell, given the 14-year-old would become Australia’s youngest Olympic champion if she wins the gold medal.
However, there appeared to be nerves at play as Covell crashed attempting her second and third tricks.
But she finally nailed the same trick on her next try and that gave the Australian teenager the second-highest score of any skater in the heat, an 85.58, which could prove crucial.
“I knew I could do it, so I tried to keep trying to do it, and just focus on it,” Covell said of her high-scoring trick.
“It was very nerve-wracking, but I did my best.”
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