Josie Baff Shows Grace After Olympic Snowboard Cross Disappointment
Australian snowboarder Josie Baff has firmly refused to blame her teammate Adam Lambert after a dramatic crash in the mixed team snowboard cross final at the Winter Olympics dashed their hopes of securing a landmark second medal. The incident occurred just hours after fellow Australian Matt Graham claimed bronze in the dual moguls event, adding to the nation's growing medal tally.
Crash Costs Australia Podium Finish
Baff and Lambert, who grew up as neighbours in Jindabyne, were strong contenders heading into Sunday's final, looking to boost Australia's five-medal count. However, during the men's leg, Lambert became entangled with Italian racer Lorenzo Sommariva on a corner, resulting in a heavy crash. He managed to scoot to the bottom of the course but finished 4.16 seconds behind the French leader, Loan Bozzolo.
In the mixed team format, the women's start is based on the margin their male partner finishes behind the winner. This meant Baff, despite her exceptional form, had no realistic chance to catch the other three women in the final. She ultimately settled for last place in the four-racer showdown.
Baff's Stellar Performance Overshadowed
Baff had been in superb form throughout the Games, having stormed to gold in the women's individual snowboard cross event earlier in Livigno. She had dragged the duo into the Big Final by starting fourth through the gates and finishing second in the semi-final. Lambert only needed to stay on his feet to give Baff a shot at becoming the first Australian athlete to win two medals in the same edition of a Winter Games.
Reflecting on the outcome, Baff expressed pride in their effort. "In the final, going down and having four seconds, it's a tough situation to be in, but I'm still really proud of the two of us and I think we showed everyone what we're capable of," she said. "I don't think we can be too disappointed. Obviously, I think we could have won — I really truly believe that we could have had that medal and I guess that stings a little bit. But at the same time, it's border cross and it shows the unpredictability of the sport and that's just racing."
Lambert's Perspective and Future Goals
Lambert, 28, explained that he landed on the tail of Sommariva and lost contact with his toe-side edge, which caused the fall. "That's what sent me down and it's a tough place to be, fourth at the Olympics, we're in the final and there's only so many people that get to be on the podium, and I'm proud to have been in the final to begin with," he said.
Aware of Baff's superior speed, Lambert admitted his strategy was simply to get down the course without crashing, but he couldn't avoid the contact. "I know Josie could have pulled back half a second, she probably could have pulled back one second-and-a-half, she's been riding so well but four seconds is just slightly too much," he added.
When asked if the missed opportunity would linger, Lambert responded, "It's a good question, maybe it's too soon to tell." As the current World Cup rankings leader, he plans to shift focus to other goals. "I have lots of other goals when it comes to my sport ... winning a Crystal Globe is high on that list, and I'm currently leading the World Cup overall, so my attention will definitely be shifting towards that."
The gold medal in the mixed team event was won by Great Britain's Huw Nightingale and Charlotte Bankes, with Italy taking silver and France bronze. Despite the setback, Baff and Lambert's performance highlighted their resilience and the unpredictable nature of snowboard cross racing.
