The tension is palpable at Livigno Snow Park in Italy, where the world’s top female snowboarders have just thrown down in the Olympic Big Air qualifiers, setting the stage for a final that promises to be nothing short of electrifying. Among the standout athletes is Great Britain’s Mia Brookes, a 19-year-old sensation from Sandbach whose journey to the Olympic stage is as inspiring as her performances on the snow.
Brookes, who was too young to compete in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, has wasted no time making her mark in 2026. She qualified for tonight’s Big Air final after an adrenaline-charged preliminary round that tested her nerves and showcased her resilience. Despite a shaky start—she fell on her first jump attempting a backside 12—Brookes rallied with scores of 89.0 and 78.0 on her next two jumps, earning a cumulative 167.0 points. That impressive total secured her third place in qualifying, just behind New Zealand’s Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and Japan’s Kokomo Murase.
“It was special to land that third one,” Brookes admitted, visibly relieved after clinching her spot in the final. “You’re definitely in the air thinking about it in the back of your mind, spinning, like ‘oh my God, I’ve got to land this one’, so it’s special.” According to Brookes, the pressure was immense, especially with the knowledge that the Olympics come around only once every four years. “I think the build-up to the Olympics was quite big in the back of my mind, but when I got here it was really chill,” she shared. “It’s been really mellow but it definitely got quite nerve-racking at the top thinking it comes round once every four years, so I’ve got to land.”
Brookes’ route to Olympic stardom has been anything but ordinary. She was just 18 months old when she first strapped into a snowboard at Kidsgrove Ski Centre, inspired by her parents, Vicky and Nigel, both passionate snowboarders themselves. Her early years were spent balancing schoolwork and training on six-week ski trips to Chamonix, living out of a camper van—a tradition her family has kept alive, as her parents are currently staying nearby in the same van for these Olympics. “Her parents are passionate snowboarders, so she was never going to do anything else but snowboarding,” said Ann Loton, chairwoman of North Staffs Ski Club, where Brookes first learned the sport. “Her father and grandparents were very involved with the ski club, so almost as soon as she could walk, she was on a little board just sliding down slopes.”
Brookes’ rise has been meteoric. In 2023, at just 16, she became the youngest snowboarding world champion and the first Briton to claim that title. She was subsequently named BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year, further cementing her status as a rising star. Fresh off a gold medal performance at the X Games last month, Brookes heads into tonight’s final not only as a medal contender, but also as a potential trailblazer—she could become the first Briton to win two medals at a single Winter Games if she also competes in slopestyle.
The pride in her hometown and among her supporters is immense. “She’s very driven, very determined,” Loton noted. “She has got her own thoughts about everything and how she should go about things. She’s very focused about what she’s doing, very single-minded.” A snowboard signed by Brookes is displayed at the North Staffs Ski Club, a testament to her enduring connection to her roots. “We’re all very proud of her and can’t wait to see what she achieves in the Olympics.”
Brookes isn’t the only young star lighting up the Big Air scene. South Korea’s Yoo Seung-eun, just 18 years old and representing Sungbok High School, made history by becoming the first Korean female snowboarder to advance to the Olympic Big Air final. Yoo delivered a composed and technically impressive performance in the qualifiers, landing a backside double-cork 1080 for 80.75 points, a front-side double-cork 1080 for 77.75, and a show-stopping backside double-cork 1260 that soared for about two seconds and stretched 24 meters, earning her 88.75 points—her highest of the round. With a total of 166.5 points, Yoo finished fourth overall, a mere 0.5 points behind Brookes.
This razor-thin margin has set up a tantalizing showdown in the final, with Yoo poised to challenge for Korea’s first women’s Big Air medal. Her achievement is already historic: never before has a Korean woman advanced to the Big Air final at the Olympics. Yoo’s recent successes include a silver medal at the 2023 FIS World Junior Snowboard Championships and another silver at the World Cup in Colorado in December 2025, making her the first Korean snowboarder to win a World Cup medal. The Big Air event itself, only introduced at the Olympics in 2018, is judged on the number of rotations, technical difficulty, distance, and landing stability—areas where Yoo has proven she can compete with the world’s best.
At the top of the qualifiers, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott of New Zealand led the pack with 172.25 points, followed closely by Kokomo Murase of Japan at 171.25 points. Both are seasoned competitors, but with Brookes and Yoo hot on their heels, the final promises a fierce battle for the podium. The difference between third and fourth place in qualifying—just half a point—underscores how tight the competition is and how any mistake or moment of brilliance could tip the balance.
Adding another layer of excitement is the camaraderie among the athletes. Brookes, who executes her tricks to the pounding rhythms of Metallica and Pantera, is especially thrilled to be sharing the Olympic stage with her friend and fellow Briton Kirsty Muir, who is competing in women’s ski slopestyle. “I’ve grown up with Kirsty and we’ve known each other since we were young,” Brookes said. “To go into an Olympic final on the same day, representing Great Britain, is really special.”
Despite the mounting pressure and the weight of expectations, Brookes remains grounded. “I never came here to get a medal, I never came here to get a gold. I just wanted to come here and show everyone how much fun snowboarding is, and if I’m still loving snowboarding as much as I did when I started, then I’ve already won.” That attitude, coupled with her undeniable talent, has endeared her to fans and fellow competitors alike.
As the sun sets over Livigno, anticipation for tonight’s final reaches fever pitch. With Mia Brookes and Yoo Seung-eun both making history in their own right, and the world’s best riders separated by the slimmest of margins, the women’s Big Air final is shaping up to be a showcase of skill, resilience, and youthful exuberance. Whether records fall or new champions emerge, one thing’s for sure: snowboarding fans the world over will be watching, breath held, as these athletes soar into Olympic history.