Liam Gill is about to live out his Olympic dream.

The 18-year-old snowboarder from Calgary, but who is a member of the Liidlii Kue First Nation, has been named to the menSA国际影视传媒檚 Winter Olympic roster and will compete in the menSA国际影视传媒檚 snowboard halfpipe. Canada Snowboard made the announcement on Monday morning that Gill will be replacing Derek Livingstone, who suffered a lower-body injury during a recent training run.

Gill was an alternate before getting the call-up.

SA国际影视传媒淚 woke up to the news and I didnSA国际影视传媒檛 know how to feel,SA国际影视传媒� stated Gill in a press release on Monday. SA国际影视传媒淚 had totally given up on any hope of going and hadnSA国际影视传媒檛 even packed my stuff. I am stoked to be going. I have a few runs up my sleeve and really want to make it count.SA国际影视传媒�

Prior to being named to the Olympic team, Gill had competed internationally for Canada at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he finished 11th in the slopestyle event and 13th in the halfpipe. He was selected to compete for the junior national team in the 2020-21 season and was named to the senior menSA国际影视传媒檚 team for the 2021-22 season.

Gill won his first major event in 2018 on the Nor-Am Circuit, a gold medal in slopestyle at an event in Sun Peaks, B.C. He followed that up by making his World Cup debut in his hometown of Calgary in February 2020, competing in both slopestyle and halfpipe. His career best World Cup finish was 16th in halfpipe at the stop in Copper Mountain, Colorado this past December.

According to his Olympic profile, Gill began snowboarding at the age of four and was in his first competition the following year. He apparently grew up competing in skiing and snowboarding, but by age 11 he enjoyed snowboarding more, even giving up the chance to compete in ski freeride final because he didnSA国际影视传媒檛 want to pass up a good day of riding his board

In the release, Livingstone stated that he was devastated to compete at the Winter Olympic but happy for his teammate.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 super excited for Liam and canSA国际影视传媒檛 wait to watch my fellow Canadians at the Games,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Gill also said Livingstone is someone heSA国际影视传媒檚 looked up to.

SA国际影视传媒淒erek is an idol of mine who has pretty much brought me through the past few years,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淪o when I thought about going to the Games I wanted to go with Derek.SA国际影视传媒�

The halfpipe competition is scheduled to happen between Feb. 9 to 11.