Winter Olympics: James Woods does not start slopestyle qualification because of back injury
- Published
James Woods finished 30th in the big air event at Beijing 2022, but slopestyle is his specialism
24th Winter Olympic Games |
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Hosts: Beijing, China Dates: 4-20 February |
Coverage: Watch live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Red Button and online; listen on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds; live text and highlights on BBC Sport website and mobile app |
British skier James Woods pulled out of freeski slopestyle qualification hours after saying he was "full of painkillers and strapped up in bed" because of a back injury.
Woods finished fourth at Pyeongchang 2018, improving on fifth at Sochi 2014 when he struggled with a hip injury.
On Monday night, the 30-year-old said his back had "completely seized up" and he was unable to move.
He added he would "give everything I can to shred my hardest".
Woods' efforts were in vain though as he was registered as a DNS (did not start) when the slopestyle qualifiers got under way on Tuesday.
Winter Olympics: Sub-zero slopestyle, coach cam & sandwiches in the snow
In 2019, Woods became the first British man to win World Championship gold on snow and returns to the Olympic competition after taking a two-year break from the sport.
While not rated among the favourites for gold, Woods showed in a sixth-place finish at the 2022 X Games that he was not far from his very best.
But, after suffering a hip injury before the Sochi slopestyle final, Woods has now been left to rue another fitness issue.
"Eight years later to the day and once again in some uncanny, ironic, sadistic, joke of a coincidence I'm again full of painkillers and strapped up in bed the night before Olympic slopestyle," he wrote in an Instagram post on Monday.
"Unfortunately this morning my back completely seized up due to heavy landings throughout the big air event and slopestyle practice and I've been unable to move freely or without pain all day.
"Obviously my head is screwed on straight and I have a rad team sensibly helping me get dialled.
"It's just so hard to believe that this is happening again, in Sochi it was my hip after a specific crash in practice but the feeling of unreadiness and doubt are all too familiar."
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