Embyr-Lee Susko Slides into Top 15 at Olympic Debut
CORTINA, Ita.—Canadian luge athlete, Embyr-Lee Susko, will chalk up a 15th-place finish at her Olympic debut in Cortina, Italy to experience.
The youngest member of Canada’s Olympic luge squad finished as the top Canuck on Tuesday after clocking a combined time of 3:33.802 in her four runs held over the last two days.
“I had a real high yesterday, and a real low, so to be able to come from that and have two really good runs today felt really awesome,” said Susko a legacy baby of the 2010 Games, who began the sport after watching the world slide in her hometown.
The 20-year-old demonstrated her potential Monday evening with a ninth-place run in her opening rip down the 15-corner chute that winds its way through the Italian Dolomites. But a skid early in her second run dropped the Whistler, B.C. resident down the standings at the midway point of the unique four-run test that puts a premium on consistency.
“I decided today that I wanted to do this for myself,” said Susko, who was 14th in the Olympic Test event in Cortina this fall. “I have realized through this experience there is so much support around the Olympics. It is all positive, but you don’t realize how much it gets to you as an athlete, knowing you have all of these people who don’t normally watch your sport, now watching.
“I think maybe that got to me a bit yesterday, so I decided today was for me. It was my race. I got myself here, with the support of my friends and family, so I was just trying to have fun and enjoy what the Olympics is.”
Susko is a quick learner.
She came to the Cortina Sliding Centre on Tuesday, focused, determined and ready to slide, and put down two, top 15 runs with another top 10 run in the final heat.
“It was just a difference in mindset today. I feel really stoked to come back and put two good runs down,” said Susko. “I had some nerves going into the fourth run. I couldn’t put two together yesterday so I was a little nervous, but I just trusted what I can do and made sure to have fun with it.
“I learned (through this experience) that I truly do this sport for me because I love this sport. This has been the best experience of my life. It has been incredible to race in the Olympics in front of friends and family.”
Germany’s Julia Taubitz slid to the gold medal with a time of 3:30.625. Latvia’s Elina Bota claimed the silver medal at 3:31.543, while American Ashley Farquharson locked up the bronze medal with a time of 3:31. 582.
Two-time Olympian, Trinity Ellis, struggled to find her consistency down the slippery 1,220-metre slide. The 23-year-old finished two spots back of her teammate and Canadian friend in 17th.
“I’m definitely disappointed. I had higher expectations than that. It just sucks when you can’t put it together when it counts,” said Ellis, who was 14th at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing.
With a four-run time of 3:34.329, the soft-spoken Canuck from Pemberton, B.C. posted the 14th best opening run and was 15th best in her final decent.
“I think there was definitely some positive steps. I was showing some good things in training, and I feel like I have grown a lot, but it just wasn’t in the cards for me to put four good runs together,” added Ellis.
Complete Results:
The Olympic luge competition continues Wednesday at the Cortina Sliding Centre with women’s and men’s doubles action. It will be the first time women’s doubles luge slides onto the Olympic stage.