Leilani Ettel has arrived at one of her dream destinations.
For the 20-year-old snowboarder from Munich, the Olympic halfpipe decision is the first brilliant highlight of her career.
Despite Corona, despite China as the place of decision: "I will enjoy every moment," she says.
"I'll soak it all up." And she's allowed to do so even longer than expected.
Because she is among the twelve best athletes in the final on Thursday (3.25 a.m. CET in the FAZ live ticker for the Olympics, on ZDF and on Eurosport).
"I'm really speechless.
It's a huge dream come true," said Ettel, who received 68.75 points for her best run on Wednesday: "I'm very happy that I landed the first run." But US superstar Chloe Kim was the center of attention Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou.
The gold medalist from Pyeongchang, who has won every halfpipe competition since her triumph in South Korea, advanced to the final in first place with 87.75 points.
When she won four years ago, Kim had topped with 98.25 points.
Leilani Ettel's nature is far removed from lamentations, fears and regrets.
Anyone who speaks to her in the mountains, in the snow, quickly learns that even a corona mask cannot always hide joie de vivre and enthusiasm.
Eyes also speak volumes.
"The essence of snowboarding is fun," says Leilani Ettel.
"When we snowboard, I want people to see how cool it is, how much fun it is for us.
I want it to be contagious, to inspire kids to say snowboarding, we want that too.”
Last season, the Munich high school graduate, whose first name comes from the Hawaiian, was in the top ten at all halfpipe world cups and was seventh in the world rankings.
A medal at the Olympics wasn't that far away.
Then a syndesmosis ligament in the foot tore in a fall in the summer camp.
Surgery.
First out of the dream.
"I totally threw myself into rehab," says Leilani Ettel.
And also gained something positive from the accident.
"You get out of there really fit." The goals after that were smaller: regain confidence in your own body, dare to try the difficult tricks in the six-meter-high halfpipe again, finally qualify for Beijing.
It was not easy.
Because of Corona, there were only three Halfpipe World Cups this season, three ways to qualify for the Olympics.
Leilani Ettel did it, now the adventure can begin.
How will she compete?
"With the same attitude that I always snowboard with," she says.
"With the joy of being able to stand and ride the halfpipe with friends and show the world how cool snowboarding is."
The friendship between the drivers is not an empty phrase.
"There are always the same people at every camp," says Leilani Ettel.
“We've all known each other for years, we motivate and inspire each other, we learn new tricks together, we see ourselves and others getting better and we're happy about it.
It's a big community with people from all over the world, with a real touch of family feeling.”
Of course, the competition is also about winning among friends.
At the Olympics for medals.
Leilani Ettel is not one of the favorites after her injury, but she is now in the final.
Is even more possible?
A medal?
For this, the performance has to be right - and the judges' evaluation, which is not always completely understandable.
The question is: Should you show something new at the Olympics, a super-difficult trick that has been rehearsed but is still a risk?
"If you have the self-confidence on this special day," says Leilani Ettel.
"why not?"