Éliot Grondin, hailing from Sainte-Marie, Quebec, showcased his remarkable skills and resilience by securing a silver medal in snowboard cross at the Milan Cortina Games, marking his second consecutive Olympic silver in the discipline. Competing against a challenging field, Grondin narrowly missed gold, falling behind Austria’s Alessandro Haemmerle by just three one-hundredths of a second. This close finish follows a similar near miss in Beijing, where Grondin lost gold by a mere two one-hundredths.
The 24-year-old Grondin expressed satisfaction with his performance, stating, “I feel pretty good. Not many people here have two silver medals. Obviously I wanted gold. It was really close — again. But it was a good week. I had fun. I have no regrets. I did my best.” In addition to his silver medals, Grondin had previously clinched a bronze in the mixed team event at the 2022 Olympics, now making this his third Olympic medal.
Haemmerle, competing in his fourth Olympics and now a two-time champion, underscored the importance of experience in high-stakes competitions. Grondin acknowledged this, remarking on Haemmerle’s vast experience in the sport and recognizing that every race is an opportunity to learn and improve.
The thrilling race took place on a technically demanding 1,110-meter course at Livigno Snow Park. The day was filled with anticipation and drama, as racers faced not only the challenge of speed – reaching up to 80 km/h – but also the dangers of disqualifications and crashes.
For Grondin, who is known for his explosive starts, the final race was a nail-biter, featuring close competition from Jakob Dusek, the 2023 world champion, and the rising French star Aidan Chollet. The progression to the final required Grondin to outpace his competitors through three knockout rounds. His strategic approach to the race almost paid off, but timing errors prevented him from maneuvering effectively against Chollet’s lead.
Reflecting on the race, Grondin noted, “I was arriving always too early with too much speed, so that was the problem. Maybe I should have been a little more patient at the top.” Despite the heartbreak of coming so close to gold, Grondin’s performance solidifies his place among the elite in snowboard cross.
On the same day, South Korea’s Gaon Choi made headlines in the women’s snowboard halfpipe finals, overcoming a shaky start to claim gold with an impressive score of 90.25. Despite facing a fall earlier in her runs, Choi rebounded to outperform reigning champion Chloe Kim, who earned silver, while Japan’s Mitsuki Ono took bronze.
Grondin’s achievement adds to Canada’s impressive tally of eight Olympic medals in snowboard cross history. With the momentum of success, including his back-to-back Crystal Globes, the future looks bright for Grondin and Canadian snowboarding. His performance exemplifies the spirit of perseverance and the thrill of competition that the Olympics embody.