State ski jumper Englund takes 31st in Olympic debut
PYEONGCHANG, South Korea – Nita Englund is a long way from the community of Spread Eagle, Wis., where two decades ago she laid the foundation for her appearance in the ski jump at the 2018 Winter Olympics by making small jumps off the man-made hills constructed out of snow in her family’s backyard.
Those small jumps turned into bigger leaps at nearby Pine Mountain Ski Jump in Iron Mountain, Mich., as a member of the Kiwanis Ski Club. Then she went off to nearby tournaments, competing against fellow jumpers in the Midwest, then to World Junior events, then as one of a handful of American jumpers on the World Cup Circuit.
And then to Pyeongchang. Englund made her Olympic debut here Monday by finishing 31st in women’s normal hill competition, a so-so finish that nonetheless might represent something bigger.
“My goal, I guess, was top 30, so I didn’t quite make it,” she said. “But I had a lot of fun. It was a great atmosphere. I’m not quite sure of the emotions yet.”
With one Winter Games under her belt, Englund can start thinking about another, four years from now in the 2022 Beijing Games. Even before then, the experience gained during these Games will help Englund rebound from two disappointing years in World Cup competition – her performance slipped after a solid 2015 season, which included four top-10 finishes.
“I’ll say this season has been really difficult,” Englund said. “So my confidence wasn’t the highest, which probably isn’t the best thing in ski jumping. I’m trying to find my rhythm.”
Teammates Sarah Hendrickson (23rd) and Abby Ringquist (30th) agree: Englund has another Olympics in her future, and has the potential to develop into one of the USA’s top per- formers in a young Olympic event. The sport debuted on the women’s side four years ago in Sochi and is currently owned by European jumpers; Norway’s Moren Lundy took gold here, while Germany has placed on the medal podium in each of the past two Games.
It won’t be easy for Englund to unseat the established elite.
But she’ll be better for Monday night’s experience, and for the barometer such high-stakes competition provides for a jumper still growing on the international stage.