An emotional Belle Brockhoff has revealed she couldn't make it down the PyeongChang snowboard cross course until competition day because of problems with her knee.
The Australian tore her ACL in March and re-injured it in December, putting her Games in serious doubt.
On Friday Brockhoff battled her way through qualifying and a heat of the event's head-to-head races and was just one top-three placing away from the decider.
But the 25-year-old, whose breakout 2016/17 season had her amongst the medal favourites a year out from the Games, crashed heavily after a jump in her semi-final.
She was fourth at the time and in position to make a last dash for a finals spot.
"I just wanted to come here and lay at least one good run down because I haven't been making it down the track," Brockhoff told Channel 7.
"But, no my knee held up alright. I had a hard hit in the semis and it just, it really hurts – but I made it down and I'm really happy with that."
"It's been a bit of a rough run in.
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"I did everything I could to be here and represent my country and I'm really happy about that. I'm really overwhelmed right now."
Brockhoff had a final finishing position of 11th after finishing fifth in the small final.
Italy's Michela Moioli took out the event ahead of France's Julia Pereira de Sousa Mabileau with Eva Samkova third.
AAP
An emotional Belle Brockhoff has revealed she couldn't make it down the PyeongChang snowboard cross course until competition day because of problems with her knee.
The Australian tore her ACL in March and re-injured it in December, putting her Games in serious doubt.
On Friday Brockhoff battled her way through qualifying and a heat of the event's head-to-head races and was just one top-three placing away from the decider.
But the 25-year-old, whose breakout 2016/17 season had her amongst the medal favourites a year out from the Games, crashed heavily after a jump in her semi-final.
She was fourth at the time and in position to make a last dash for a finals spot.
"I just wanted to come here and lay at least one good run down because I haven't been making it down the track," Brockhoff told Channel 7.
"But, no my knee held up alright. I had a hard hit in the semis and it just, it really hurts – but I made it down and I'm really happy with that."
"It's been a bit of a rough run in.
You will now receive updates fromSport Newsletter
Sport Newsletter
Get the latest news and updates emailed straight to your inbox.
"I did everything I could to be here and represent my country and I'm really happy about that. I'm really overwhelmed right now."
Brockhoff had a final finishing position of 11th after finishing fifth in the small final.
Italy's Michela Moioli took out the event ahead of France's Julia Pereira de Sousa Mabileau with Eva Samkova third.
AAP
