Picture
Picture
Picture
  • Home
  • Aerials
    • Aerial Skiing About
    • Aerial Skiing News
    • Gabi Ash
    • Abbey Willcox
    • Laura Peel
    • Danielle Scott
  • Moguls
    • Moguls Skiing About
    • Mogul Skiing News
    • Jakara Anthony
    • Matt Graham
    • Cooper Woods
  • Park & Pipe
    • Park & Pipe About
    • Park & Pipe News
    • Tess Coady
    • Matt Cox
    • Scotty James
    • Valentino Guseli
  • Snowboard Cross
    • Snowboard Cross About
    • Snowboard Cross News
    • Josie Baff
    • Cameron Bolton
    • Belle Brockhoff
    • Jarryd Hughes
    • Adam Lambert
  • Individual Athletes
    • Individual Athletes About
    • Individual Athletes News
    • Madison Hoffman
    • Harry Laidlaw
    • Louis Muhlen-Schulte
    • Greta Small
    • Bree Walker
    • Jackie Narracott
    • Tahli Gill
    • Dean Hewitt
    • Alex Ferlazzo
    • Brendan Corey
    • Doug Crawford
  • About
    • OWIA News
    • Sport Integrity
    • Media
    • OWIA About
    • OWIA History
    • Executive & Staff
    • OWIA Policies & Documents
    • OWIA Calendar
    • Sponsors & Partners
    • Australian Sports Foundation
    • Newsletter
    • Privacy
    • National Redress Scheme
    • Medical
    • Contact

David Morris wins silver in men's Aerials

18/2/2014

 
PictureSilver medalist David Morris of Australia celebrates during the flower ceremony... © Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
Australian Freestyle skier David Morris has won a silver medal in the men’s Aerials at Rosa Khutor Extreme Park on Monday. The dual Olympian was the first to jump in the super-final, doing a double-Full Full-Full (quad twisting somersault) to score 110.41.

“I was up there thinking this is the furthest I’ve ever got in the Olympic format before so I’m just going to throw it down and see what happens... and we got this!”

While he remained cool and focused under pressure, upon completion of the jump Morris fell to the ground in elation as his family in the stands erupted in celebration.

“I thought that was a spectacular super final and it was a privilege to be a part of that.”

Three-time Olympian Anton Kushnir from Belarus went for the highest scoring jump possible – the Back Double Full-Full-Double Full (five twisting somersault) – to score an incredible 134.50 and take gold.

Reigning World Champion Qi Guangpu (CHN) went for the same jump but failed to land it cleanly, skidding down the hill on his backside, scoring 90.00, coming fourth.

His teammate and 2013 World Cup number one Jia Zongyang was the last to jump, doing a Back Full-Triple Full-Full, but somersaulted the landing, to score 95.06 and claim bronze.

The men's super-final was the same make-up as the women's: two Chinese skiers, one Belarusian and one Australian.

Morris jumped strongly throughout the finals phase, but was the last to qualify in each: final 1 (placing 8th) and final 2 (placing 4th).

“I snuck in which is fine. And then did a quad twist to get into the super-final, which was amazing. I’m actually surprised I made it in. The last one, I wasn’t super confident doing that skill, I basically just closed my eyes and waited for the ground to come and it was right in front of me.

“I’ve never nailed four jumps in a row like that before. That’s actually the first time I’ve got through that format before. I’ve always got booted out in the 8-4 or 12-8 finals."

After the high point of finishing 13th at the Vancouver Olympics Morris hit a real low point in 2011 and walked away from the sport. He injured his hip and had to have surgery.

“I came back from the surgery but I wasn’t prepared for the Olympic hype and the downfall after that. I wasn’t an experienced athlete and I wasn’t prepared for the injury and the rehab and it really got to me and I basically took a year off but I walked away and said I wasn’t coming back.

“I took the time off and decided I wasn’t finished. I worked my butt off started back from the very very bottom of the field again and had to work my way back and earn back every privilege.

“When I quit I was in a very bad spot but I think it was the right decision to not take the attention away from the Team when I was very demanding and angry all the time.

Morris came back to be 2nd in the world last season (2012/13) and sixth in the world leading into these Games.

Australia’s medal tally now stands at two silver (Torah Bright in the women’s Halfpipe) and one bronze (Lydia Lassila in the women’s Aerials).

Lassila was one of the first to congratulate Morris.

“She set the bar pretty high and I just had to take it a little bit further didn’t I!” he said laughing.

“She’s done well she’s got two Olympic medals I’m so proud of her I can’t even describe.

“I’ve always looked up to her she is an amazing role model on and off the hill. She gave me some good advice to stay in the moment and not think too far ahead and calm down.

“I was very proud of what she achieved the other day and now she is very proud of me. Go Team!”

Olympic Winter Institute of Sport Chief Executive Officer Geoff Lipshut who is credited as being the driving force behind the very successful Australian Aerial Skiing program was  thrilled the result.

“Dave has put in a remarkable effort. I mean that performance tonight he didn’t have the same big end top range as the other guys but he did everything he possibly could and played it perfectly. He executed every time and he didn’t make a mistake.”

“When Anton unleashed the monster it meant the Chinese had no option but to respond and the rest is history."

Lipshut credited the OWIA staff in head coach Cord Spero, pyschologist Barbara Meyer and aerials Team Manager Ashley Merkur for adjusting the women's program to suit Morris. And for the wonderful person and athlete Morris is.

“Dave is just a remarkable character. If you meet him he is so exuberant and he embraces everything about being on the Olympic Team. His moment in the sun as an Olympian has been the highlight of his life. So Vancouver was his highlight and clearly now Sochi is his highlight.

And you know that’s who Dave is. His parents wear green and gold everywhere his brother wears green and gold and you know they met him at the (Sochi) airport and they are here supporting him and this is just a fairytale ending.”

sochi2014.olympics.com.au



Comments are closed.

    AERIAL SKIING  ARCHIVES

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    June 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    October 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010

    RSS Feed

    NEWS  CATEGORIES

    All
    Abbey Willcox
    Airleigh Frigo
    Alisa Camplin
    Britt George
    Danielle Scott
    David Morris
    Gabi Ash
    Gabrielle Ash
    Harrison Tulberg
    Jacqui Cooper
    Kirstie Marshall
    Laura Peel
    Lydia Lassila
    Renee McElduff
    Samantha Wells
    Wesley Naylor

Picture
OLYMPIC WINTER INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA
​

CONTACT
​
O'Brien Icehouse
Level 2
105 Pearl River Road
Docklands, VIC 3008
Australia

P
hone: +61 3 9686 2977

ABOUT                 
OWIA History
Executive & Staff
Policies & Documents 
Sponsors & Partners
OWIA Calendar

Australian Sports Foundation
North American Medical
Media Center


SPORT INTEGRITY
​
​SITE MAP

AERIAL SKIING
News
ALPINE SKIING
News
​
MOGUL SKIING
News
PARK & PIPE
News
SNOWBOARD CROSS
News

INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES
News


Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

​Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy  |  2022 © Olympic Winter Institute of Australia  All rights reserved