There can’t be too many people in Livigno as relaxed as Indra Brown appears to be this week.
The 16-year-old has just completed her first two competitive runs at an Olympic Games just months after making her FIS World Cup debut.
Not only that, she’s qualified fourth for Saturday night’s final.
For most it would be surreal to even comprehend.
The atmosphere at the Livigno Snow Park made it even more so.
Indra Brown did not let the occasion daunt her. (Supplied: AOC/Chris Hocking)
The snow that teemed down in a torrent for almost 24 hours had slowed to a gentle dusting, each frozen flake glittering ethereally under the blinding lights of Livigno’s spectacular arena.
It’s fairytale stuff.
And yet, despite all this, Brown can’t escape reality completely.
“I actually did some maths homework earlier today,” Brown told media after her second run.
“So, you know, I’m keeping up with it, but try and enjoy the Olympics as much as I can as well.”
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It wasn’t just any maths homework either, but linear equations.
Brown noted that the halfpipe was “definitely” easier than maths, although the way she reeled off her trick sequence without hesitation later in the interview felt as if it were an equation all of its own, one that Brown and Australia hope will lead to an Olympic medal.
Brown was second out of the gate on Thursday night, the FIS World Cup leader following defending champion and superstar Eileen Gu.
She might not like maths, but the numbers say Indra Brown is a chance for a medal on Saturday night. (Supplied: AOC/Chris Hocking)
Incredibly, Gu crashed on her first run, a minor error on her third hit seeing her clip the lip of the halfpipe and lose her ski.
Undaunted by the pressure, Brown laid down a superb run, scoring 80.75.
Then, as if to underline just how completely in control she is, the teenage star completed an even better run second time around, adding a more technically difficult penultimate hit to score 87.50 and sit as fourth-best qualifier for the final (Sunday at 5:30am AEDT).
Given the horrific accident to Canadian Cassie Sharpe, who underwent lengthy treatment in the pipe after getting knocked out and taken away on a stretcher, Brown will likely be the third-highest qualifier.
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“To be able to put two runs down in my first Olympics is just a relief,” Brown said.
“There’s definitely nerves that go through. I want to do my best and show everyone what I can do.
“So landing that first one, the relief it gives you is just so amazing.
“The pressure was off, I knew I’ve got a score down, so I can really increase my amp [amplitude], add a new trick, and just see how much I can push it.
“I’m just enjoying it so much.”
Indra Brown has got plenty to look forward to this week. (Supplied: AOC/Chris Hocking)
Snow had fallen so intensely over the past 24 hours there were fears qualification may be delayed, adding to the lengthy congestion of events building up in Livigno as the Games reaches its conclusion.
Instead, the pipe had been well cleaned, a relief for an athlete the size of Brown who already struggles lower down the pipe on account of not being able to generate enough momentum.
She simply doesn’t weigh enough or have the strength in her 16-year-old body that her rivals can call upon.
But that didn’t matter either.
“They’ve done an amazing job clearing out all the snow,” Brown said.
“It definitely wasn’t as fast as it could be, but they’ve done an amazing job to keep it top notch.”
Will Indra Brown be celebrating a medal on Saturday? (Supplied: AOC/Chris Hocking)
Brown had raised expectations of a surprise medal by enjoying one of the greatest starts to a World Cup career in FIS history, collecting medals as readily as she has been collecting pins in the athlete’s village.
“I have been on the pin trading game,” Brown said with joyous enthusiasm.
“I think they’re all so unique and different in their own ways, so I just love collecting them.”
The then-15-year-old won a bronze medal at her first World Cup event at Secret Garden in China and followed it up with a silver medal at Copper Mountain in the US, before becoming Australia’s youngest World Cup winner with a gold in Calgary.
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Brown’s youthful naivety touched Gu on that first podium in Secret Garden, with the Chinese superstar helping the young Aussie get the cork off her celebratory champagne.
“It was so sweet,” Gu said.
“The same thing happened when I was her, aged 15 on my first World Cup podium, and I couldn’t open it and no-one helped me. I wish someone had.
“It’s so wonderful to see the next generation of the sport … so I’m excited to watch her progress.”
A fourth-placed finish at Buttermilk followed, before she claimed a silver medal in her first X-Games at Aspen in the weeks before the Olympics.
Indra Brown says there is no pressure on her to win a medal. (Supplied: AOC/Chris Hocking)
“I’m just going to go out there and try to enjoy myself,” Brown said.
“Not put any pressure or any thoughts over a certain result.
“I want to just go out there, ski in my first Olympic finals at my first Olympics and enjoy it because it’s something that doesn’t come very often.”
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There will almost certainly be more homework to complete before she gets there, despite her admitting that her schoolmates in Melbourne — who filed in early to watch her compete this morning — were amazing.
“There might be, probably will [be more homework]” Brown said, still beaming.
“Not too excited for it, but I’ve got to get it done.
“My school is really supportive of me and not expecting me to have every bit of work done as soon as it comes.”
An Olympic final is probably a good enough excuse to be a little late, to be honest.