GOURLEY FALLS SHORT OF MEDAL
STAR Australian alpine skier Mitch Gourley has wrapped up his third medal-less Winter Paralympics with a sixth placing in the slalom in PyeongChang.
For the second time these Games, the Barwon Heads athlete held bronze-medal position after his first run on Saturday, but errors cost him on his next attempt to finish 6.21 seconds off gold winner Adam Hall of New Zealand.
The 26-year-old Gourley’s second run of 53.63 seconds was 4.94 seconds slower than his first.
“My tips got crossed there and I couldn’t uncross them. It was over before it began in a lot of ways,” he said.
“I was really happy (with the first run). I made a few little mistakes but I was right in there. I put myself in the position to win at least two races and unfortunately it didn’t work out.
“Those are the pains of being a tech skier. You’ve got to do it twice.”
The Australian team co-captain has now gone 13 Paralympic events without a medal. He has regularly reached the podium during his 11 years competing at World Cup and world championship events, claiming seven gold medals.
But he finishes his PyeongChang campaign with a best result of a fifth in the super-combined.
Gourley was adamant the pressure of the Games was not a factor in his lack of success.
“The first Games in Vancouver were exciting.
“The second Games in Sochi were stressful but this one has been a lot of fun,” Gourley said.
“As with every Games there are highs and lows but it’s really good to be a part of this team and the success we’ve had as a group.
“I don’t think that anything that I did up there today was any different to what I do any other day of the year or any day in the cycle.
“I’m really proud with how I’ve skied.”
None of the rest of Australia’s sixstrong men’s slalom contingent completed their first runs on Saturday, with Jonty O’Callaghan (standing), Shaun Pianta, Patrick Jensen (visionimpaired), Sam Tait and Mark Soyer (sitting) crashing out.