Sapphire Coast local, Cooper Woods has created a major buzz after making it through to the Men’s Moguls Freestyle Skiing Final in Beijing on Saturday in his first ever Winter Games.
The Pambula Beach lad made every post a winner from the second qualifying event on Saturday (February 5), bettering each of his previous scores to be the only Aussie to reach the Super Final.
Cooper’s mum Katrina told East Coast Radio, the family watching on from Pambula, could hardly believe what they were seeing.
“We were immensely proud, it was just unbelievable to watch, I was jumping out of my seat,” Katrina said.
Listen to our chat below with Cooper’s mum Katrina Woods on his achievement of finishing in the top six skiiers in the world.
“It was phenomenal, he was just kicking goals and we could see on his face how happy he was to be achieving these dreams that he always had.”
The 21 year old, finished in sixth position overall behind Sweden’s Walter Wallberg who took home gold with a score of 83.23.
Cooper’s former teacher at Lumen Christi Catholic College in Pambula Beach, Mark Thompson said Cooper has done the whole south coast proud.
“We were all very excited that he made it,” Thompson said.
“I think it’s less than one per cent of people actually make it to the Olympics so I think he’s done a wonderful job,” he said.
“To be down here on the far south coast and the effort his family have put in to get him to where he is has been phenomenal.”
After missing out on Qualifying by just four spots in the first Qualifier in the Men’s Moguls Freestyle Skiing Event in Beijing on Thursday (February 3), Woods made it through the second Qualifier on Saturday, putting down a score of 76.74. That ensured he progressed in the top 20, then the top twelve skiers, before recording a run of 77.22, to make him the only Aussie through to the Men’s Final.
The the 21 year old, improved his score yet again in the final recording a 78.88, but it wasn’t enough to get him in the medals.
To finish in the top six and make the finals is an achievement the South Coast community is getting right behind Cooper for.
“We want to thank everyone, the amount of support and love and messages we’ve received,” Katrina said.
“We had people doing drive-by’s at our house after the super final, honking their horns and getting out and yelling and i was just phenomenal.
“There’s just been an overwhelming out-pour of love.”
Image Credit: Cooper Woods, Katrina Woods
