Tiarn Collins was snowboarding as well as he ever had heading into the Pyeongchang Olympics, so much so the then-18-year-old was considered a dark horse for a medal.
Quick facts:
Name: Tiarn Collins
Hometown: Queenstown
Age at Games: 22
Olympic history: Selected for Pyeongchang 2018 but withdrew due to injury
But then tragedy struck. Collins suffered a dislocated shoulder in training just days out from his Olympic debut. The injury robbed him of the chance to compete, leaving him devastated.
It was a major setback in his promising career, and one he has admitted took a heavy toll on him.
But he has quietly come back and re-established himself as one of the world's top riders.
Collins won his first slopestyle World Cup event in early 2020, and recently finished third in another among a field that featured two of the medallists from Pyeongchang, Red Gerard and Mark McMorris.
It's promising signs for the Queenstown snowboarder, whose career had hung in the balance not too long ago.
Collins will be hoping it's second time lucky for him in Beijing, where he can show the world just what they've been missing out on.
Beijing schedule:
February 6 5.30pm: Snowboard slopestyle qualification
February 7 5pm: Snowboard slopestyle medal
February 14 6.30pm: Snowboard big air qualification
February 15 6pm: Snowboard big air final
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