Snow Australia Emerging Talent Program to the Olympic Games: Guseli finishes sixth on debut

Young gun snowboarding sensation Valentino Guseli has finished sixth in the men’s snowboard halfpipe final, at his first Winter Olympic Games.

The 16-year-old burst onto the world scene last year, qualifying first for his debut FIS Snowboard Halfpipe World Cup in Laax, Switzerland.

Since then, Guseli has gone on to etch his name in the history books, breaking the world record for the highest air out of a halfpipe, clearing a massive 7.3m.

In Beijing, Guseli was one of two Aussie men competing in the snowboard halfpipe, alongside four-time Olympian and now two-time Olympic medallist (silver in Beijing) Scotty James.

Guseli is a prodigious talent, having been part of the Snow Australia Emerging Talent Program (ETP) for the past four years, and named Snow Australia Rising Star in 2018.

He credits Snow Australia’s ETP and Interschools programs for helping him to grow and become the athlete he is today.

“My first race ever was an Interschools race, and I actually did really bad in it. I threw up on the course, and I got disqualified,” Guseli said.

“But that gave me the drive to work hard, and that’s led me through other competitions and all the way to here, at the Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

“Australia doesn’t have the kind of mountains like some places around the world, but it seems like we’re producing some very good snowboarders.

“Whether it’s Scotty (James), Tess (Coady) or Josie (Baff), they’re all ripping and they all came through the Interschools system like I did,” he said.

In the 12-man final today, Guseli said he felt privileged to have competed alongside some of the greatest athletes the sport has ever seen, in Shawn White and Scotty James

“Shawn White has always been a massive idol to me, and he has been the face of snowboarding for so long,” Guseli said.

“And competing with him and Scotty (James) is an honour and a dream come true.

"Scotty has always been a role model to me, and he’s been so helpful along my journey.

"He told me that if I needed any help or had any questions that I could always ask him. He always has, and always will be a big inspiration to me,” Guseli.

Upon reflection, Guseli was in awe of what he’d been able to achieve, not only qualifying for his first Olympic Games, but making the Olympic final on debut.

“I’ve always wanted to go to the Olympics since I started watching it when I was very young, but I wasn’t sure which one I’d be going to,” Guseli said.

“My journey to the Olympics started last year in my first World Cup, it was the LAAX Open and I qualified first for the final.

"That was a very big moment in my life, because it was my first World Cup and I didn’t know that it was possible, and that I could do such a thing.

“Since then, I’ve been thinking about this Olympics and this moment, and just working towards it,” he said.