After a surprise quota reallocation, mogul skier Rohan Chapman-Davies is off to his debut Olympic Games at PyeongChang 2018, taking the Australian Olympic Team to a total of 51 athletes.
The selection comes after Russia handed back a men’s quota place after the reallocation period had ended and the next eligible nation, France, didn’t accept it; giving Australia the call up and the opportunity to take its biggest ever mogul skiing team to next month’s Games.
With four female and three male mogul skiers previously selected on the Team, today’s announcement means Australia will take its first full mogul skiing contingent of eight athletes to the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.
27-year-old Chapman-Davies said the moment he found out he made the Team was really special.
“Getting the call from my coach Peter ‘Toppa’ Topalovic when he told me I have been selected for the 2018 Australia Winter Olympic Team is a moment I will remember for the rest of my life,” Chapman-Davies said.
“By pure chance I happened to be with my parents at the time so Toppa made me put my phone on loudspeaker so he could tell us all at once. My parents were overwhelmed while I was left speechless. It was a special moment and I am so glad my parents were able to share it with me.
“It is a surreal feeling and I don’t think it has fully sunk in yet.”
The skier from Mosman, NSW made his international debut in 2008 as a 16-year-old. In 2015 he became the first Australian male to podium in the Nor-Am Cup standings, finishing third overall.
He made three World Cup finals in 2016/17 before placing 15th at his World Championships debut at Sierra Nevada, Spain.
An unfortunate training crash before the dual moguls at the World Champs saw Chapman-Davies require a shoulder reconstruction in March 2017 and undergo an intense rehabilitation program to be back in full health ahead of the 2017/18 season.
With a finals run under his belt from the Thaiwoo World Cup in December 2017, the Commerce university student will make his Olympic debut alongside fellow debutant James Matheson and Sochi 2014 Olympians Matt Graham and Brodie Summers at Bokwang Snow Park.
“The support from family and friends back home has been amazing and I can’t wait to get to Korea and experience the Games.
“Being able to make my Olympic debut at the 2018 PyeongChang Games means everything to me. I love my sport of freestyle mogul skiing and to be able to represent Australia at the highest level is an honour and privilege.
“To share the experience with my teammates and best friends is only going to make it that much sweeter!”
Mogul skiing qualifications are on the day of the Opening Ceremony (February 9) with the men’s finals on Day 3 (February 12).
