Winter Olympics 2022: ‘A juju thing’ - How shaving moustache helped skier James Crawford win bronze

‘Marginal gains’ are often mentioned at the Winter Olympics and Canadian Alpine skier James Crawford took that to new levels in Beijing — crediting his bronze combined medal to shaving off his moustache. The 24-year-old competed with the facial hair in the downhill, where he came fourth, and the super-G, finishing fourth, before he got the razor out for the combined event. Ad/> Crawford finished third behind eventual winner Johannes Strolz and Aleksander Aamodt Kilde and he says his newly streamlined approach may have helped him overcome the hurdle that had hindered him in his opening event.

Beijing 2022Shiffrin won't conduct media duties for 'foreseeable future'AN HOUR AGO «I've been searching for a podium so long, I kept feeling it was right around the corner,” said Crawford. »I honestly shaved it because I felt it wasn't getting me on the podium. /> Crawford has regularly missed out on podiums at the highest level, including the World Championships, but he has now broken that unfortunate run.

/> Strolz matched the achievement of his father, Hubert, in winning gold — but he was not the only athlete with a family link in Alpine. Crawford’s aunt, Judy Crawford Rawley, also competed at the 1972 Games, when she came fourth in the slalom. He says her advice has stuck with him.