Canada's Kingsbury heads to fourth Games focused on fun, not pressure

MILAN, Feb 2 : Canada's Mikael Kingsbury has spent more than a decade as the standard‑bearer of moguls skiing, piling up records, medals, and milestones with almost mechanical consistency.

But as the skier affectionately known as "The King" prepares for his fourth Olympic Games, the goal driving him is surprisingly simple. He just wants to enjoy it.

"To be an Olympian once, it's quite an achievement," Kingsbury said on a zoom call with reporters last week. "And to have the opportunity to do it four times, not many people have done it, so I'm just very excited.

"I'm going to have my own family there, my son (Henrik, who is one) at the bottom of the course, and just trying to put less pressure on my shoulders than I have."

Pressure is something Kingsbury has carried most of his career. He is a three‑times Olympic medallist, including gold at Pyeongchang 2018, and the most decorated moguls skier in World Cup history, capturing his 100th World Cup win on January 10.

The 33-year-old, who will carry Canada's flag alongside ski cross racer Marielle Thompson in Friday's opening ceremony, has been the favourite, the benchmark, the one others have chased.

"I feel like I've been the favourite for the last couple of Olympics," Kingsbury said. "So now I just want to ski and have fun and I know when I do that, then the result will come."

DUAL MOGULS OLYMPIC DEBUT

Adding to Kingsbury's excitement is the long‑awaited Olympic debut of dual moguls, where skiers race head-to-head in a knockout format, a discipline in which he has excelled. He is relishing the chance to compete in moguls and dual moguls.

"Olympics go by super quick, it's just fun to have the opportunity to compete twice," he said. "And I've loved dual moguls, and I've been pretty