Beijing Winter Olympics 2022: Kiwi skier Alice Robinson likely to miss medals in giant slalom

Alice Robinson competes during the women's giant slalom on day three of the Beijing Games. Photo / Getty

Kiwi skier Alice Robinson's medal chances in the giant slalom have been all but extinguished after a disappointing first run at the Beijing Olympics.

Robinson came into the event with hopes of a podium finish in the event but she sat 25th after all 82 athletes completed their first run.

That position is good enough to secure a place in tonight's top-30 shootout for the medals but almost certainly leaves her with too much time to make up on the leaders.

Robinson completed the course in a time of 1:00.55, putting her 2.99 seconds behind leader Sara Hector of Sweden and 2.57 seconds off the bronze-medal position.

The top 30 competitors will now run in reverse order at 7.30pm and their times across the two runs will be combined, meaning Robinson is facing an improbable mission in a sport with little margin for error.

The 20-year-old seemed to battle with her timing and balance at the top of course, failing to get into the rhythm she needed for a top time.

She threw up her hands in frustration after crossing the finish line and later acknowledged her disappointment.

"It didn't really go the way I would've liked," Robinson told Sky. "Struggled a bit with the equipment and getting grip on the snow.

"It was a bit of a struggle, I couldn't really find anything the whole way down, which was really tough. It happens like that sometimes. It's done now."

Robinson became New Zealand's youngest Olympian - at the age of 16 years and 70 days - when she competed four years ago in PyeongChang, finishing 35th in the giant slalom.

She has since won three World Cup races in the discipline, though she has been short of her best in giant slalom competition this season.

Robinson will be back on action in the super G on Friday before finishing her programme with the downhill next week.

Fellow Kiwi Margaux Hackett is also out of medal contention in the women's freestyle skiing big air after failing to progress from today's qualifying.

Hackett crashed while attempting 900s on each of her first two jumps and, with the best two scores counting for each competitor, that meant her third and final jump was only for pride.

The 22-year-old did at least land that attempt, a switch right side 900, but finished 22nd out of 25 athletes with a score of 74.75.

The next Kiwis in action tonight will be Finn Bilous and Ben Barclay in the men's freestyle skiing big air, starting at 6.30pm.