BEIJING / OSLO (VG) Expectations are high for Birk Ruud (21) in slopestyle after finishing second in qualifying. But in the final, did not choose Norway who ended in fifth. Without it affecting the mood.

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– When I first went down the hill in the first round, I felt great excitement all over my body. I really enjoyed skiing through these three rounds. I’m proud of myself and proud of my own focus, Ruud told VG.

After failing in the first two rounds, it looked much more promising in the last round, but the score of 79.33 ‘only’ stuck in fifth place.

– One thing is that by the way I can’t put together a perfect run, but I’m here. It’s about having a good preparation, and the preparation I did today might be a little high. I think I need more than I need to get on the podium, said the 21-year-old and continued:

– I took fifth place and I am very happy with my Olympic participation.

American Alexander Hall took gold ahead of compatriot Nick Goepper and Sweden’s Jesper Tjäder.

– Medals are really cool, but in the end it’s about the fun of skiing, I enjoy skiing. It’s not every day you get to run the Olympics, so I’m really happy that I’ve managed to find that feeling, the Norwegian concluded.

The national team coach Herman Valø Orheim summarized the competition as follows:

– It was a high level, everyone at the starting line went well. Alex Hall is doing well. Birk did everything he could, he ran well, unfortunately it didn’t last today, Orheim told VG.

From the top of the hill, he sent Ruud down the hill three times, and while it didn’t last long, he couldn’t see the 21-year-old’s blunder.

– He has prepared a technically difficult run. I really don’t think so much is wrong. There’s a lot of coincidence in this sport here. If you missed the takeoff a bit, then you just have to forget about it, especially on the rails. This and snowboarding are probably the most difficult sports to do consistently, says Orheim.

Although there were no medals in slopestyle, Ruud returned to Norway with a medal. For 21 years, he took Olympic gold in the Big Air competition, his first in the context of the Olympics for freestyle riders.