Canadian snowboarder Mark McMorris has won slopestyle bronze at the past three Winter Olympics
Ben STANSALLCanadian snowboard star Mark McMorris is still targeting the slopestyle event at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics despite a nasty crash that ruled him out of the big air competition.
McMorris, who won bronze in slopestyle at the past three Games, was stretchered off the course in Livigno on Wednesday after his accident in training and taken to hospital as a precaution.
The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) issued a statement on Thursday confirming the 32-year-old would be absent from big air qualifying on Thursday.
"Mark McMorris, three-time Olympic medallist, will miss tonight's men's snowboard big air qualification following a crash yesterday in training," it said.
"Working in tandem with the Canada Snowboard and Canadian Olympic Committee medical teams, it was decided as a precaution that Mark will skip the big air event to focus his efforts on being fully healthy for slopestyle."
McMorris said in an Instagram post that he had hit his head when he fell and would not be able to compete in the big air competition.
But he said in the COC statement that things were "looking good for slopestyle".
"I'm staying positive and shifting my focus there," he said. "Huge thanks to the incredible medical staff who took great care of me, and to everyone who reached out with so much love and support."
McMorris has suffered various injuries during his career. In 2017 he was seriously hurt after hitting a tree in Canada while riding off-piste, suffering multiple fractures and a collapsed lung.
Men's slopestyle qualification is scheduled to take place in Livigno on February 16, with the final following two days later.
jw/ea
Originally published on doc.afp.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.
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