(Transcript from World News Australia Radio)
Australia's search for a gold medal at the Sochi Winter Olympics continues after one of its greatest hopes failed to even reach the semi-finals of the snowboard cross.
Murray Silby reports.
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A two-time world champion in the event and Australia's flag bearer in the Opening Ceremony, Alex "Chumpy" Pullin was tipped as one of Australia's best chances for gold at Sochi.
But in the quarter-finals of the snowboard cross, an awkward landing from a jump slowed his momentum, killing off his chance to advance to the semi-finals.
Pullin says the rainy conditions made it difficult for all the riders in the race.
"The doors sort of swung open, and, you know, things were going to be a different kind of race. You could see that a lot of heats weren't making it down in forms of six. There were some heats that got broken up. Riders were struggling to even see. I mean, we had raindrops all over our goggles. It was just really hard to get the visibility. And, so, just added variations into an already unpredictable sport. But I'm not using that as a complaint at all. That's what we do it for. It makes it exciting. And, for me to be one bit sore about that, I don't think would be ... I mean, I would have signed up for the wrong sport if that was the case."
The young Australian duo of Jarryd Hughes and Cameron Bolton were also in the field of contenders in a specialty notorious for its chaotic crashes.
And both had their races ended by collisions, although Bolton performed the best of all three.
He was at the front of his semi-final when a collision with an Italian rival ended his chances.
"Yeah, I had a pretty rough day. I was really happy with how I was riding for the first two heats and found my way up front. I got passed a couple of times, managed to pass back and was feeling good and really excited, and, in the semi-final, I was up the front again and tangled with an Italian rider, and we both went down, which is unfortunate. I mean, neither of us were planning for it to happen, but that's the way it went down."
Ryan Taylor, from Ski and Snowboard Australia, the sport's national governing body, says the Australian riders did not have much luck on the day.
"We are obviously a bit disappointed with not getting on the podium or into the big final, but the boys put up a pretty strong fight in very trying conditions and a tough course, and, unfortunately, luck wasn't on our side and a bit of the rough-and-tumble took them out."
Celebrations have continued in Sochi, though, for the latest of Australia's team to win a medal, David Morris in the men's aerial skiing.
The silver medallist has hinted he may take time away from the sport to decide whether he wishes to pursue another medal in four years.
In the meantime, he has told Channel 10, he is just enjoying having a silver medal hanging around his neck.
"That was a crazy event, and, you know, we always plan for a gold medal or to get on the podium but to actually have it play out and have this here is ridiculous. It just ... ah, it played out perfectly, like I've imagined it for many, many years. It doesn't feel real. It's a nice heavy thing around my neck, but I'm not going to have to take it off for a while, I think."
Meanwhile, South Korea has avenged the disappointment of disqualification in the women's short-track, 3,000-metre relay four years ago in Vancouver.
In those Games, the South Koreans crossed the line first but lost the gold medal after being disqualified.
China was then promoted to the gold medal position.
Four years on in Sochi, the South Koreans again crossed the line first and the Chinese second, but, this time, it was China that was disqualified.
That disqualification promoted Canada to the silver and Italy to the bronze.
South Korea has now won gold in the relay in five of the past six Olympics, and Canada has won a medal in the event in the past seven Games.
Australia's former world-champion hurdler Jana Pittman has become the first Australian woman to compete in both the Summer and Winter Olympics.
She joined team-mate Astrid Radenovic in the women's bobsleigh.
The duo ended their opening two runs in 14th place, 2.23 seconds behind the leaders, Elana Meyers and Lauryn Williams, of the United States 1 team.
Radenovic says the pair can do better on Day 12.
"We're definitely both good at backing up and getting stronger and stronger per run, so I hope, tomorrow, we can smash it. We've got a bit of runner-polishing to do tonight. It's not all rest."
Men's halfpipe skiing has made its debut at the Winter Olympics, with the United States' David Wise winning the first gold.
The 23-year-old won ahead of Mike Riddle, of Canada, who took silver, and Kevin Rolland, of France, who won the bronze.
Slovenia's Tina Maze has won her second alpine skiing gold of the Sochi Olympics, taking out a thrilling women's giant slalom from Austrian arch-rival Anna Fenninger.
Defending champion Viktoria Rebensburg, of Germany, finished in the bronze-medal position.
