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During the exhilarating snowboarding events of the Winter Games, spectators might observe an unusual trend among competitors — a trend that comes with a practical explanation. Let’s delve into this curious habit with insights from an Olympics expert.
In Milan, Italy, the 2026 Winter Olympics kicked off with a thrilling start as the elite of the snowboarding world showcased their skills even before the official Opening Ceremony on Friday. Thursday saw the commencement of the men’s big air qualifying rounds, a high-stakes competition where snowboarders soared off a colossal ramp, earning points for their stylistic flair, precise execution, and the technical complexity of their airborne tricks.
Among the participants, notable figures such as Italy’s Ian Matteoli, China’s Su Yiming, and Britain’s Txema Mazet Brown were spotted engaging in a peculiar practice — tucking one side of their mandatory number bib under their armpit. While this might seem like a quirky fashion statement, it actually serves an important purpose.
According to Craig McMorris, a snowboarding expert for CBC Olympics, “Sometimes those bibs can fly up in your eyes. That’s very, very dangerous. So a lot of the riders will tuck it under their arm,” he explained during the 2022 Winter Olympics in China. This precaution helps athletes maintain clear vision and focus during their high-flying routines, ensuring both safety and performance are at their peak.
“Sometimes those bibs can fly up in your eyes. That’s very, very dangerous. So a lot of the riders will tuck it under their arm,” CBC Olympics snowboarding expert Craig McMorris said during the 2022 Winter Olympics in China.
Numerous notable snowboarders have adopted the tucking practice, including United States star Chloe Kim, who tucked the bib when she won her second gold medal during the snowboard halfpipe event in 2022, and New Zealand’s Synnott Sadowski, whose 2022 medals included a gold in slopestyle and silver in big air.
The practice, however, isn’t universal. Gold medal halfpipe snowboarder Ayumu Hirano of Japan didn’t use it during her 2022 performance.
Some snowboarders have made other fashion statements. French snowboarder Lucile Lefevre was a crowd pleaser during 2022’s Big Air Shougang when she wore a tiger costume during qualifying. Lefevre was injured and knew she couldn’t do the big tricks necessary to make the finals. So, she borrowed an orange-and-black big-cat costume from Swiss snowboarder Nicolas Huber.