FREESTYLE SKIING: Australian Madii Himbury has impressed the skiing community with an unbelievable display of sportsmanship, at the Deer Valley World Cup in Utah this month.
Competing in her first World Cup event, the 21-year-old lined up to compete against the worlds’ best, on the steepest mogul course on the World Cup skiing circuit.
After beating the world No.1 Canadian Chloe Dufour-Lapointe in round 1, Himbury was through to the next round against French competitor Perrine Laffon.
Determined, and fuelled by adrenaline, Himbury and Laffon both flew down the start of the course side-by-side into the top air, both doing 360's.
As Himbury came around in her trick, she saw Perrine fly across the course and crash right in front of her. Perrine had fallen in Himbury’s line with her ski clicked off up the hill from her, disqualifying her from the race.
The event’s 10,000 spectators were stunned when Himbury, instead of continuing her own race, picked up her competitors ski, gave it to her and checked if she was ok.
Needing only to finish her race to qualify for the next round, Himbury then waited for Laffon to put her equipment back on and both competitors finished the run together.
Himbury said safety was the only thing on her mind.
“I was focused on trying to stop so I didn't hit her and potentially hurt either of us,” she said.
Himbury didn’t hear the crowd’s huge applause for her sportsmanship, but she said it was all part of the sport.
“All I needed to do was finish my run, so I made sure that she was ok before we started skiing again,” she said.
Skiing since the age of four, the Sydneysider spent her junior career competing in various Australian Interschool competitions in her chosen discipline of moguls.
However, her short career has been hampered by two serious injuries.
After only entering the discipline of moguls two years earlier, Himbury received an Emerging Athlete Program scholarship with NSWIS at age 16, but lost the scholarship after she tore her ACL whilst training at Perisher.
After 10 months of rehabilitation and recovery post surgery, Himbury continued to train at the Perisher Winter Sports Club and slowly got back on the slopes.
Unfortunately again, after making her first North American Cup (Nor-Am)finals, Himbury tore her other ACL in competition. She contemplated quitting competitive skiing after suffering such a serious injury for again in such a short space of time.
However, after each injury Himbury said she became more determined and motivated. Her strength and skill significantly improved after each ACL reconstruction, despite continuing to have days that affect her mental approach to training.
In 2014 she was recognised again with an NSWIS scholarship and spent the year training hard with her sights set on her first World Cup in Deer Valley.
Himbury wants to follow in the footsteps of US mogul skier Sophia Schwartz, who has recovered from three knee reconstructions to continue to compete at an international level.
She says her short term goal is to finish the Nor-Am circuit with top 3 finishes on the singles competition days, because it would qualify her for the entire World Cup circuit next year.
Himbury says she also has the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang, Korea as a driving force.
“The Olympics has always been a dream of mine since I started competitive skiing”.
This incredible display of sportsmanship has not gone unnoticed by the skiing and larger sporting communities.
“Journalist Peter Fitzsimons commented on her true Australian “sportswomanship” in his Sydney Morning Herald column, ‘The Fitz Files’. Which goes to show you can get mainstream media attention for making sure your competitor ‘was ok’”
With Sportsmanship one of the six Australian Olympic Team A.S.P.I.R.E. values, Himbury has shown she will be a great Olympian if she reaches her competition goals.
Watch the race here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqVEkv2EotU
Ashleigh Knight
Olympics.com.au
