British alpine skier Dave Ryding has participated in his fifth and final Olympics in Milano Cortina.
After almost 20 years of competing, the 39-year-old Ryding is ready to hang up the ski boots.
He placed 17th in the slalom in Bormio on Monday, failing to equal his best ever Olympics result, achieved in 2018 in PyeongChang where he finished ninth.
Ryding told BBC Sport: “I really tried everything right until my last turn
“I was quoted on the BBC as saying I would ski until my legs fell off, and I kind of feel like they have this year.
“One season maybe too many, but I had to give it a go. I really went in as always and I’m proud.”
Born in Chorley, Lancashire, in 1986, Dave Ryding is considered to be the greatest British skier of all times. He participated in five Olympics and seven World Championships.
Dave Ryding started skiing on dry slopes as a child, before moving on to real snow.
Nicknamed ‘The Rocket’, Ryding won eight British Championships slalom titles in total, and has seven medals to his name on the World Cup circuit.
He marked World Cup history by being the first Brit to qualify for World Cup finals in 2016, where he finished second.
Ryding engraved his name in World Cup history when he became the first British alpine skier to get gold at a World Cup when he got his maiden World Cup gold came at Kitzbuehel in 2022.
After his last slalom run, he also said to the BBC: “It feels right, I feel ready and I’m looking forward to the future.
“I honestly think the next 15 years of British skiing are taken care of. It will only get more and more exciting.”
(Featured image under Creative Commons licence)
