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IRELAND’S BEN LYNCH has qualified for the freestyle skiing halfpipe final at the Winter Olympics.
Dublin-born Lynch makes history as the first-ever Irish skier to qualify for an Olympic final.
After opening with a first run of 57.00 at the Livigno Snow Park on Friday morning, the 23-year-old scored 75.75 on his second run, taking 11th place and qualification for the 12-man final.
A score of 57 for Ireland’s Ben Lynch in his first qualification run in the men’s halfpipe #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/PztjZCRjd8
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) February 20, 2026
The Olympic final begins at 6.30pm on Friday evening, where all 12 skiers will have three runs, taking their best run for their final score.
Canada’s Brendan Mackay, the 2023 world champion, topped Friday morning’s qualification with a score of 92.75, ahead of last year’s world silver medallist Nick Goepper of the United States (90.00).
It was an anxious wait, but Ben Lynch’s second round 75.75 in the men’s halfpipe means he becomes the first Irish skier to qualify for any final in the Winter Olympics pic.twitter.com/6rzUjs9MeA
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) February 20, 2026
Estonia’s Henry Sildaru (19) qualified in third (88.00) ahead of Beijing bronze medallist Alex Ferreira of the United States (85.75).
A delighted Lynch said afterwards: “I’m so excited, really, really grateful to be here, and to make the finals is the cherry on top for me.”
Lynch will take his place in Friday evening’s Olympic final. David Davies / PA / Alamy Stock Photo
David Davies / PA / Alamy Stock Photo / PA / Alamy Stock Photo
Knowing that he needed to post a big score with his second run to have any chance of advancing, Lynch successfully landed a right double cork 1260 with his penultimate trick.
“I did my first run just like the singles run that I had planned to do, landed it perfectly, and I went for the right 12 in my second run.
“I hadn’t done it in training yet, so it was the first time for me for the day, and I haven’t done that trick since three or four months ago, so to land that in my run was unbelievable.”
On his mindset ahead of that second run, he added: “I was just thinking about landing my first tricks, not thinking too far ahead to the right 12 because it’s very easy to get distracted.
“I had visualised it beforehand, and then I did my first two tricks, and then it was on, and I did it perfectly, landed it so well, and I’m really, really excited.”
Updated 7.19pm: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that each skier’s best two runs would count towards their score in the Olympic final; only their best run counts.
Written by Niall Kelly and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
