Chinese snowboarder Liu Jiayu suffered a terrifying fall during Olympic halfpipe qualifying on Wednesday, requiring her to be stretchered off the course.
The 33-year-old landed heavily on her left arm and shoulder, before her face and stomach hit the ground, causing her to bend backwards and somersault through the pipe.
The incident, which occurred after Liu caught an edge while attempting to land her final jump, brought action on the halfpipe to a halt for approximately 10 minutes as medical staff attended to her.
Liu had been trying to complete a 900-degree spin on her second and final qualifying run.
Her board slammed flat onto the transition part of the pipe, but quickly caught an edge as it approached the flat section, violently throwing Liu forward as her legs and board snapped over her back – a type of crash known in snowboarding as a “Scorpion.”
Liu’s crash came as a shock to many, given the PyeongChang silver medallist was predicted to achieve a top-five performance and qualify for Thursday night’s final.
Kim was among the athletes who looked visibly upset in the mixed zone, while Liu’s teammates from the People’s Republic of China were also seen rushing back to the team area to check on their compatriot.
There has been no immediate update from the Chinese team regarding Liu’s condition.
Legendary snowboarder Chloe Kim finished first in qualifying and will move on to Thursday night’s final.
The 25-year-old’s commanding performance sets the stage for a historic attempt at a third consecutive gold medal, with Kim quipping, “I might be better at snowboarding than I am at walking.”
Her dominant display included a massive big air leap, propelling her 13 feet above the halfpipe’s edge, punctuated by a showy board grab.
She also executed a 1080-degree spin while riding backward, immediately setting her apart from the two dozen riders vying for a spot in Thursday night’s final.
The American finished ahead of Japan’s Shimizu Sara (87.50) and U.S. teammate Maddie Mastro (86.00). Judo Rise (84.75) of Japan was fourth, with Republic of Korea’s 17-year-old rising star Choi Gaon (82.25) ending qualification in sixth.
