Davina's Story
Davina Williams completed a long journey when she reached the Olympic stage at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. The Ski Halfpipe specialist had won a World Cup silver medal in 2007 and a bronze medal in 2008 before taking a long break from the sport due to injuries. In 2009 Williams tore the Anterior Cruciate Ligament in her left knee and underwent a knee reconstruction. She struggled to get her form back in 2010 and 2011.
When Canadian pioneer for freestyle skiing and good friend Sarah Burke was killed in the Halfpipe in 2012 and Williams suffered two concussions, she took a 10 month break from the sport. But seeing Ski Halfpipe added to the Olympics for the first time for Sochi 2014 have Williams new motivation. In early 2013 Williams decided not to give up on her Olympic dream and committed to qualifying.
Having missed the previous season, Williams had ground to make up in Olympic rankings. From the four World Cup events in the 2013/14 season she placed top 20 in all which was enough to qualify.
In Sochi, Williams didn’t have the Olympic competition she had dreamed of. Yet there was no better example of spirit and courage to complete the competition. Williams suffered a heavy fall in training, in which she cut her lip, was feeling unwell and then had to compete 15 minutes later. In run 1 she came off the pipe in her first big trick and she found more strength, composed herself and headed back to the top of the pipe for her second run. Williams almost missed her run and was not able to execute all her tricks but it was impressive regardless and she finished 15th of 23 competitors.
