Hoengseong, Korea, January 28, 2024: As a youngster, Olly Nicholls grew up in Japan playing football and judo before switching to freestyle skiing five years ago.
He is very glad he did – and so is Japan – as he won his second silver medal of the Winter Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024 on Sunday.
Following his second-place finish in the men’s freeski slopestyle on Thursday, January 25, Olly collected his second silver of the Winter YOG in the men’s big air at the Hoengseong Welli Hilli Park Ski Resort.
Canada’s Charlie Beatty took gold with a score of 177.75 for his two best runs of 89.25 and 88.50, while Nicholls scored 86.00 on his first run and 88.50 on his second run for 174.50.
Luke Harrold of New Zealand came in third for bronze with a total of 172.25 – 84.25 on his first run and 88.0 on his second.
Olly, 16, said he did not expect to win a medal in big air, so was very happy to be going home to Japan with two silvers.
“I did a good jump and went big, so I am happy,” said Olly, whose father is from New Zealand and whose mother is Japanese; they live at the winter sports tourism town of Niseko in northern Hokkaido prefecture.
He said he took up freestyle skiing four or five years ago because it was “cool and fun” and started competing in 2021. His aim now is to represent Japan in the World Cup and Olympic Winter Games.
To achieve this, however, he knows he must practice more, something he can afford to do in Japan, New Zealand and other parts of the world as he studies at an online school.
With two silver medals, he has enjoyed himself very much at the Winter YOG. “There are many people here, so it was fun,” he said. “I have made many friends, from Finland, New Zealand and other countries.”