New Zealand’s Ben Harrington reacts after competing in the freestyle skiing men’s freeski halfpipe qualification during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, in Livigno, Italy.
Photo: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP
Ben Harrington has qualified for the Men’s Freeski Halfpipe final after a tense finish to the second run at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy.
Harrington led the Kiwi contingent after a clean first run saw him sitting at 9th. He dropped to 12th place during the second run, meaning a nervous wait for the other athletes to finish competing, with only the top 12 progressing to the final.
Speaking to the cameras, Harrington dedicated his second run to teammate, Fin Melville Ives, who had his own final hopes dashed after a fall saw him stretchered off the snow.
“Finski, that was for you, brother,” Harrington said.
Melville Ives was the first competitor to drop into the halfpipe but lost a ski in both runs, putting him at 24th.
The BBC said he was conscious and able to speak with medics.
Fellow Kiwis Gustav Legnavsky and Luke Harrold also failed to qualify, ranking 14th and 15th respectively.
Harrold’s first run saw him in contention for the finals after he placed 11th, but run two saw him lose a ski.
Legnavsky lost a ski on his first run.
In halfpipe, competitors perform a series of tricks while skiing down a semi-cylindrical slope.
New Zealand’s Nico Porteous won gold in the event at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
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