Finley Melville Ives, the world champion, made a dramatic start to the halfpipe competition but lost a ski mid-air, placing him at the bottom of the leaderboard. The incident highlights the unpredictable nature of Olympic competition, where even the best can face unexpected challenges.
Gus Kenworthy, known for his "fuck ICE" snow protest during the 2014 Games, returned to compete for Team GB despite facing death threats following his activism. The American-turned-British athlete previously won silver in ski slopestyle and continues to brave controversy as he pursues Olympic glory.