Su Yiming Tops Snowboarding Slopestyle Qualifying at Olympics 2022

China's Su Yiming posted a score of 86.80 to top the 12 qualifiers for the final in the men's snowboarding slopestyle competition at the 2022 Olympic Games.

The 17-year-old put together a stellar opening run to finish more than three points ahead of Canada's Mark McMorris, who finished second in qualifying. Three Americans, Sean Fitzsimons, Red Gerard and Chris Corning, were among the qualifiers as well.

Here is a look at the 12 competitors who will go into Monday's final.

1. Su Yiming (China): 86.80
2. Mark McMorris (Canada): 83.30
3. Sean Fitzsimons (United States): 78.76
4. Staale Sandbech (Norway): 78.61
5. Red Gerard (United States): 78.20
6. Takeru Otsuka (Japan): 74.93
7. Emiliano Lauzi (Italy): 71.71
8. Sebastien Toutant (Canada): 71.06
9. Mons Roisland (Norway): 70.96
10. Max Parrot (Canada): 70.11
11. Chris Corning (United States): 69.30
12. Kaito Hamada (Japan): 67.45

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Su, a former child actor, said he fulfilled his dream of qualifying for the Olympics to participate in front of his home country. He and Fitzsimons are both first-time Olympians who look primed for a chance at winning a medal.

McMorris is the veteran of the top three, having won bronze in the 2014 and 2018 Winter Games. The 28-year-old said he's hoping to finally get over the hump and win gold in what could be his final Olympic try.

"That would be a dream come true," McMorris told reporters. "I definitely would like to change the shade of medal I've earned the past two games, but most importantly, I want to ride to the best of my ability. If I do that, I have a really good shot at it.

"I'm so thrilled to have a shot at it, and I hope I can bring my A-game tomorrow. I'm sure as heck going to try my best."

Gerard, the defending gold medalist, finds himself in an unfamiliar place looking up at the rest of the field heading into the finals. The American took home bronze in the 2020 X Games and gold in the 2020 Dew Tour and should be primed for a stronger run during his finals attempts.

Corning is currently lagging behind his two countrymen but shouldn't be counted out. The 22-year-old previously won the 2019 World Championships in slopestyle.

Norwegian Staale Sandbech was the most consistent snowboarder of the qualifying runs, posting scores of over 70 in both of his attempts. The Olympic veteran is looking to get back on the medal stand after falling just short with a fourth-place finish in 2018. He previously won silver in slopestyle at the 2014 Winter Games.