Ashburn Skier Falls Short In Olympic Medal Quest: Reports

ASHBURN, VA — Her third Winter Olympics were not a charm Thursday for a freestyle skier from Ashburn, who came up short in the quest to win a medal at the 2018 edition at Pyeongchang, South Korea. Ashley Caldwell, 24, failed to advance beyond the qualifying stage of the women's aerials event, in which contestants jump and flip through the air on skis.

Caldwell went big, attempting two triple-flipping jumps in qualifying. But she couldn't land cleanly, falling short of the top 10 skiers, according to a media report. She will watch Friday's final from the sidelines.

It was Caldwell's third trip to the Winter Olympics, after competing for the U.S. team in Sochi, Russia, in 2014 and Vancouver, Canada, in 2010. She finished in 10th place both times.

Caldwell is a world champion ski jumper known for pushing the envelope, making triple flips in competitions where other competitors attempt doubles. But high winds at the skiing venue in PyeongChang may have impeded her performance, radio station WTOP reported.

Two other American women, Kiley McKinnnon and Madison Olsen, advanced to Friday's aerials final.

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Image: Ashley Caldwell, of the United States, jumps during the women's aerials qualifying Thursday at Phoenix Snow Park at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. (Associated Press/Lee Jin-man)