FREESTYLE – SKI CROSS: The beaming, engaging smile and an emotional air punch at the bottom of the Rosa Khutor Extreme Park Ski Cross course after her quarter-final said it all for Katya Crema.

Knowing that she had just experienced her best Ski Cross race in two Olympics, the 25-year-old Melbournian was understandably jubilant, basking in emotions from a great result on the world’s biggest stage.

Crema led the way for Australia’s three women and two men Ski Cross squad, improving on her Vancouver 2010 Games result of 15th to finish in seventh place.

Crema’s big moment came in the quarter-finals when she was sitting behind Switzerland’s Sanna Luedi as they approached the last turn.

In third place and doubtful to earn a spot in the semis at that stage, Crema saw a small opening and went for it, passing the Swiss and moving into second, which she held to the finish line to be one of two athletes to progress to the next round.

It was a courageous and skillful passing manoeuvre that brought applause and cheers from the large crowd at the foot of the course.

But unfortunately Crema could not replicate the performance in her semi-final and needed to be content with third, preventing her from racing in the medal round.

Crema then went on to finish third in the consolation final and seventh overall.

"My goal here was top 8 so I’m absolutely rapped," Crema said.

"That second heat I was so happy with that pass on the last turn. It was my last chance to get into the top two and I just went for it and it paid off."

Retiring teammate Jenny Owens, 35, and the oldest member of the Australian Team, was also impressive before closing the book on a career which is in its 23rd year.

Owens was second in her round of 32 final and just missed progressing into the semis due to mistake in the quarters. 

"I just overshot that triple up the top and you can’t make mistakes like that. So unfortunately that was it," Owens said after finishing 12th overall.

"I had trouble getting forward and I think I was a bit nervous in my last event – sort of just lost myself in it all."

Australia’s third Ski Cross woman, Sami Kennedy-Sim showed glimpses of brilliance but ran out of luck in her round of 32 final to finish the day in 28th. 

The Canadian pair of Marielle Thompson and Kelsey Serwa showed why they are regarded as the world benchmark by winning the gold and silver respectively while Sweden’s Anna Holmlund picked up the bronze. 

In the men’s event 24 hours earlier, both Anton Grimus and Scott Kneller ended their Games by finishing in third and fourth respectively in their round of 32, with only the first two finishers in each race progressing.

However, Kneller is a winner by just making it to Sochi. A serious crash in December put the 24-year-old  in hospital for three days with concussion and a back injury. After intense treatment and gym work at the AIS in Canberra, he passed a medical test last Monday to take part in the event. 

The event was a clean sweep for the French team. World Champion Jean Frederic Chapius secured the gold, Arnaud Bovolenta skied to silver and Jonathan Midol took bronze.