PRINCE GEORGE — The Olympics came to a crashing end for snowboard cross racer Meryeta O’Dine.
Throughout the day Thursday, fans of the Prince George athlete had their fingers crossed that a violent tumble she took in training in Pyeongchang would not stop her from getting into the actual competition. Those hopes were dashed as brutally as her head in the incident.
The bruises and abrasions to her face were not the fundamental problem. A mild concussion was the concern that gave the eventual red light.
“As of late last night, the medical team did not allow Meryeta to race today,” said O’Dine’s mother Virginia in an email.
“She knew it was risky even if she did receive clearance. Today I hustle back up to the mountains ... and Meryeta and I will meet up and watch the women’s race together. Super excited to see her.”
O’Dine has been one of Canada’s darlings leading up to the Games. At only 20, she is one of the youngest and highest-ranked athletes in all of Canada’s snowboard contingent. She’s currently ranked sixth in the world standings and has been a frequent threat to podium on the snowboard cross World Cup tour in the months leading up to the Olympics.
She and Zoe Bergermann combined in World Cup team events to win silver in Austria and bronze in Turkey. Last season, O’Dine won her first individual medal, a bronze, in Feldberg, Germany.
As badly as she wanted to race in her first Olympics, the fall she took left her rattled. It’s the fifth concussion she’s sustained.
“This picture is from last night,” O’Dine said, in an email to The Citizen.
“I woke up with my eye swollen shut. Two things kind of go through your head: ‘you look like a bad ass’ and ‘how do you feel about racing’. But it’s also funny how you always tell yourself ‘one more bad fall and you’ll call it quits’ and when that bad fall comes, all that’s on your mind is what you can do to get back on course as soon as you can.”
Injuries have plagued O’Dine’s career, with both shoulders which could require surgery on the right side. Last season she ruptured a ligament in her foot and suffered two concussions. The first came at a summer training camp in South America. Then in April, at a time trial at the world championships in Sierra Nevada, Spain, a fall on her head sidelined her for 67 days.
At only 20, O’Dine is still well positioned to earn her way into future Olympic opportunities. Despite being in South Korea to watch O’Dine’s Olympic experience in person, mother and daughter were kept mostly separated, as per national protocols that allow athletes to give the Games their full attention. At least now, they can be together for the remainder of the events.
“We’re sad, but glad she’s going to be OK soon to continue racing in a few weeks,” Virginia said.
— With files from Ted Clarke