Winter Games 2022 - Team GB’s James Woods pulls out of slopestyle qualification after injuries suffered in big air

Published 15/02/2022 at 05:15 GMT

Much to Team GB’s disappointment, former slopestyle world champion James ‘Woodsy’ Woods was forced to remove himself from the men’s freeski slopestyle qualification after suffering damage to his back during the big air competition and training for Tuesday’s qualifiers. “I’m again full of pain killers and strapped up in bed,” he said on Instagram.

BEIJING, CHINA - FEBRUARY 07: James Woods of Team Great Britain crashes on his landing during the Men's Freestyle Skiing Freeski Big Air Qualification on Day 3 of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Big Air Shougang on February 07, 2022 in Beijing, C

Image credit: Eurosport

Team GB’s James Woods - and former world champion - pulled out of Tuesday’s slopestyle qualification at the last minute after suffering back pain from falls in the big air competition.

Woods, 30, failed to qualify for the big air final, finishing second from bottom in the qualifiers after suffering two big falls - meaning he could not compete in the slopestyle event.

He wrote on Instagram: “I’m again full of pain killers and strapped up in bed the night before Olympic Slopestyle.

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“Unfortunately this morning my back completely seized up due to heavy landings throughout the Big Air event and Slopestyle practice and I’ve been unable to move freely or without pain all day.”

He was expected to compete all the way up until his opening run with the Brit scheduled to go seventh, but he failed to show up for his run.

“Obviously my head is screwed on straight and I have a rad team sensibly helping me get dialled,” he continued to explain.

“Tomorrow is another day and hopefully I wake up from a good sleep feeling ready for action. I will absolutely be out there and will give everything I can to shred my hardest.”

It wasn’t to be for Woods, who experienced similar disappointment eight years ago in Sochi when suffering a hip injury after a crash in practice.

“It’s just so hard to believe that this is happening again, in Sochi it was my hip after a specific crash in practice but the feeling of un-readiness and doubt are all too familiar.

“Nothing is ever perfect, even when everything works out and you nail on all possible preparations, there are still challenges and hurdles to push through right up until the very last seconds.”

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