Canada's Eliot Grondin snags 1st snowboard cross podium at worlds

Canadian Eliot Grondin won the bronze medal at the Snowboard Cross World Championships in Idre Fjäll, Sweden on Thursday. It is 19-year-old’s first podium finish at Worlds.

Spain's Eguibar edges Austria's Haemmerle for win

The Canadian Press · Posted: Feb 11, 2021 2:17 PM EST | Last Updated: February 11, 2021

Canada's Eliot Grondin, right, made his first podium finish at the world championships next to two of his childhood heroes, Spain's Lucas Eguibar, centre, and Austria's Alessandro Haemmerle, left. (Anders Wiklund/TT NEWS AGENCY/AFP via Getty Images)

Canada's Eliot Grondin has captured a bronze medal at the world snowboard cross championship.

The 19-year-old from Sainte-Marie, Que., finished behind winner Lucas Eguibar of Spain and Alessandro Haemmerle of Austria on Thursday.

Eguibar edged Haemmerle at the finish for the win.

WATCH | Canada's Grondin captures world championship bronze in snowboard cross:

Canada's Grondin captures world championship bronze in snowboard cross

4 years ago

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Sainte-Marie, Quebec's Eliot Grondin captured a world championship bronze medal in snowboard cross Thursday in Idre Fjäll, Sweden.

"I haven't yet realized what just happened," Grondin said. "I ended up in the final against two of the guys who were my childhood heroes [Eguibar and Haemmerle].

"I had the chance to race against them, and I ended up on the podium with them. It's kinda crazy. I would say that I feel a bit like I'm in a dream right now."

Grondin competed at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics as a 16-year-old, finishing 36th. He was the youngest man on Canada's Olympic team.

Grondin had a second-place finish in one of only two World Cup races this season before the world championship.

"I worked really hard last summer with my physical trainer and it shows," he said. "I feel stronger on my board and I'm a little heavier, so that helps."