Calgary teen to make Olympic debut in men’s snowboard halfpipe

A Calgary teen is set to make his Olympic debut after a veteran snowboarder was forced to drop out with an injury.

Canada Snowboard confirms Liam Gill is filling the quota spot left open by Derek Livingston.

Livingston, 31, says on social media posts he will not be competing in Beijing because of a break in his fibula, suffered during training in Calgary.

“As this wasn’t the easiest news to receive, I have taken some time to process everything and I am back home in Whistler with my wife and dog, resting and recovering,” he wrote. “This was going to be my 3rd Olympic games and I was looking forward to representing Canada once again on the world stage. Even though I won’t be there in person, I am excited to watch and cheer on my teammates and friends in Beijing as they compete for gold!”

At just 18, Gill, who is a proud descendant of the Dene people from the Northwest Territories and is a member of the Liidlii Kue First Nation, becomes the second-youngest member of the Canadian snowboarding contingent, after Calgary’s Brooke D’Hondt, who is 16.

Instagram posts show Gill has already landed in Beijing. He will be the lone Canadian representing the country in the halfpipe event.

Gill competed in all three freestyle snowboard disciplines at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Switzerland. He made his World Cup debut in Calgary in February 2020.

Beijing would have been Livingston’s third Olympic showing. He previously competed in the halfpipe event in Sochi and PyeongChang, coming in 19th and 17th respectively.

He has also represented Canada at six straight FIS World Championships, starting in 2011.

According to his Olympic profile, Livingston started snowboarding at eight years old with his brother. He was “driven to catch up to his brother’s ability level,” and competed in his first nationals at 14.

Gill joins D’Hondt and Elizabeth Hosking in halfpipe events. Twenty-three snowboarders have been named to Team Canada for the Beijing Olympics.