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AGE: 27 NOC: USA DISCIPLINE: SNOWBOARD KEY ACHIEVEMENTS: FIRST-EVER OLYMPIC CHAMPION IN SNOWBOARD SLOPESTYLE; 5x WINTER X GAMES GOLD MEDALLIST “Before an event, I like to keep it light and not let the nerves take over. Sometimes, I’ll go and sit in the woods to breathe and meditate so that I can chill before the chaos.” PREPARATION VARIETY “I love being in the mountains; it feels so good to visit beautiful mountain ranges around the world. And what I find creative about slopestyle is that it’s always different. You never know what the park will be like and it’s so much fun to find your flow down the mountain. There are challenging aspects as well though; not feeling grounded or being in one place is difficult, and then you have the jet lag, unfamiliar food and homesickness.” INSPIRATION “I grew up in the mountains of Lake Tahoe [USA], so naturally my siblings and I always wanted to snowboard. Our gymnastics coach had a daughter around my age, and helped us with all the gear as snowboarding can be such an expensive sport. So I started with hand-me-down boards when I was nine, and fell in love with cruising the mountain. By the time I was 13, I had qualified for snowboard cross at the Winter X Games. I always loved freestyle more, but at that point I knew I could make a career happen.” “To succeed in snowboarding I feel you need passion, purpose, courage and perseverance, as we overcome a lot of challenges and injuries along the way. I also believe everything we do is 90 per cent mental, so the mental aspect is huge.” MINDSET “When I was younger, I loved to watch the gymnastics at the Olympic Games – in fact, I still enjoy watching it now. When I reflect on my own Olympic experience [at the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014], I have a lot of positive memories. I remember being in a good headspace and truly appreciating the experience. Now, I can’t wait to gather together with the whole world and experience a new country and a new Olympic Winter Games – and I think the Republic of Korea will be a really great host.” THE OLYMPIC EXPERIENCE “I like to practise yoga throughout the year but in the off-season you can usually find me skateboarding, mountain biking, hiking, swimming, surfing, free diving or at the gym doing a little bit of weight training. I would describe my life as being pretty crazy and fast-moving! I’ve been on the road for 10 years with not a lot of down time... I just like to live for the moment, take advantage of opportunities and enjoy the journey.” LIFESTYLE JAMIE ANDERSON DESTINATION PYEONGCHANG 52 OLYMPIC REVIEW