Margaux Hackett was always destined to be a thrill-seeker.
Quick facts:
Name: Margaux Hackett
Hometown: Wānaka/Annecy, France
Age at Games: 22
Olympic history: Debut
The 22-year-old freeskier is the daughter of bungy jumping pioneer AJ Hackett and is set to make her Olympic debut in Beijing this month.
Growing up in the French Alps, Hackett quickly found herself on a pair of alpine skis, although she switched to freestyle skiing after seeking more of a thrill.
Her Olympic dream began when she and her father sat in the stands at Sochi 2014 and watched the world's best fly high above the slopes.
But she was left disappointed four years later as she narrowly missed out on selection for the New Zealand team in Pyeongchang.
A series of top-eight finishes have come across World Cup and X Games events in the years since, although a podium finish has so far proven elusive.
Her road to Beijing has been anything but easy though. Hackett suffered from concussions and mental health struggles in 2020, but has bounced back admirably in the last 18 months to secure a ticket to her debut Olympics.
Whether she can finish on the podium remains unknown, although her ski sponsor Faction describes Hackett as a "dark horse".
She will certainly be one to keep an eye on in China.
Beijing schedule:
February 7 2.30pm: Freeski big air qualification
February 8 3pm: Freeski big air final
February 13 3pm: Freeski slopestyle qualification
February 14 2.30pm: Freeski slopestyle final
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