IRELAND’S BEN LYNCH has finished in a superb eighth place in the freestyle skiing halfpipe final at the Winter Olympics.
Lynch recorded scores of 39.75, 44.25 and 75.00 tonight at the Livigno Snow Park in Italy after making history by becoming the first Irish skier ever to qualify for an Olympic final.
His first run didn’t go quite as he would have hoped, sliding along the snow after a slight wobble. But his performance was still good enough to put him in fourth place with a score of 39.75.
Ben Lynch unfortunately doesn’t complete his first run as he would have liked, but he has two more to go!
Follow the halfpipe final or follow live updates
📺https://t.co/DgqkEuRwDK
📱https://t.co/v95ELmXXxb pic.twitter.com/pwXdQsnR0M— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) February 20, 2026
Andrew Longino of Canada was in the lead after the first run on a score of 76.50.
Lynch encountered similar problems in the second run, hitting the snow again while trying to complete a landing. However, he was still awarded 44.25 which saw him improve on his score from the first run.
Ben Lynch manages a height of 5.5 metres on that run but one fall hurts his score.
Watch the halfpipe final or follow live updates
📺https://t.co/DgqkEuRwDK
📱https://t.co/v95ELmXXxb pic.twitter.com/hc5ecPeYDx— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) February 20, 2026
American Birk Irving then scored 87.50 to take the lead and push Lynch down to sixth. Lynch then dropped to seventh when Henry Sildaru of Estonia became the new leader with a score of 92.75.
Lynch started his third run in ninth place and produced the smoothest run of his set, punching the air with delight to the roar of the Irish support. That brought him back up to seventh before eventually settling in eighth place after a nervy wait through the other runs to secure a brilliant top-10 finish.
A great final run from Ben Lynch, bringing him up to seventh for now with a score of 75.00
Watch the halfpipe final or follow live updates
📺https://t.co/DgqkEuRwDK
📱https://t.co/v95ELmXXxb pic.twitter.com/CJeWldsetC— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) February 20, 2026
The Dubliner who grew up in Canada booked his place in the final earlier today.
More to follow
Written by The 42 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.
