Hailey Langland "couldn't be happier" ahead of snowboard big air final at Beijing 2022

Competing at the Olympics naturally brings plenty of pressure, but American snowboarder Hailey Langland is dealing with that well.

“It's all trial and error, I'm pretty young, I'm 21, and I think that me learning through competing has really helped my headspace," Langland tells Olympics.com after the womens' big air qualifications. "I've been to the 2018 Olympics which was a really big eye-opener and I mentally struggled over that Games and how I did.

"I think that growing up and getting more mature with not only my snowboarding but as a person has made me realise that yes, the Olympics is the one contest you really want to do well at, but it's not the be-all and end-all."

This experience could prove important as the Team USA athlete enters the snowboard big air final having already competed in the snowboard slopestyle final at Beijing 2022 - eventually coming 11th.

There is also the feeling that she has done well to get to this stage. “It's been weird this new format of two rounds to get you on the finals because it's not just the one trick wonder anymore," Langland says.

"So, it was pretty hard to figure it out but I really did the best I could. It's been nice to see all the girls throw down their hardest tricks, that makes me really excited to watch tomorrow and I couldn't be happier."

It was a close call to make the big air final, as Langland finished 0.25 ahead of Switzerland's Bianca Gisler to take the 12th and final spot.

One person who won't be competing on Tuesday 15 February (09:30 Beijing time) is Julia Marino, who withdrew from the competition.

“I think she had a pretty bad fall in practice the other day that kind of spooked her," Langland says of her teammate. "This morning she came to see if she could ride and she had the jump a few times but when your body and mind are not really in it, it's not worth it to try and push it.

"Especially when we still have the rest of the winter season to ride and compete and film and do whatever we want to. So, I think making the call to drop out was the smart one."

While this was the sensible call, it does make Langland USA's only representative in the final with Jamie Anderson and Courtney Rummel coming 15th and 19th respectively in qualifying.

As alluded to previously, Langland won't allow this to get to her, as she was even happy to discuss who else she thought could be on the podium.

“Oh my gosh, I want everyone to do really well but if I had to make a prediction, I would say Zoi [Sadowski Synnott] would get gold," she says.

"Then Miyabi [Onitsuka], Leila [Reira Iwabuchi] or [Murase] Kokomo would grab the rest of the podium. But I also want to see Annika Morgan do well, she's been riding so good I'm so proud of her."

While Langland is wishing her competitors well and showing them plenty of support, there will be plenty of people cheering on the American on the big day.