Jakub Hroneš at the Olympics: Big Air Qualification Preview & Exclusive Interview
- Livigno, Italy – Thursday, February 5, 2026 – Twenty-one-year-old Czech snowboarder Jakub Hroneš is set to compete in the big air qualification round today, marking his Olympic debut.
- Hroneš was sixteenth in big air at the World Championships last year and has secured fourth and fifth-place finishes in the current World Cup season.
- “I hope I’ve prepared the best form I’ve ever had for this competition.
Livigno, Italy – – Twenty-one-year-old Czech snowboarder Jakub Hroneš is set to compete in the big air qualification round today, marking his Olympic debut. Hroneš enters the competition brimming with confidence, having recently achieved career-best results on the World Cup circuit.
Hroneš was sixteenth in big air at the World Championships last year and has secured fourth and fifth-place finishes in the current World Cup season. He’s particularly pleased with the conditions in Livigno, expressing enthusiasm for the evening competitions under the lights.
“I hope I’ve prepared the best form I’ve ever had for this competition. I feel really good on the snowboard doing anything,” Hroneš stated. He plans to showcase both established tricks and new maneuvers, including his signature switch double 1800 and switch backside rodeo 1200.
The qualification round will see 30 athletes vying for 12 spots in Saturday’s final. Hroneš acknowledges the subjective nature of the scoring but remains focused on delivering a performance that meets his own high standards. “It’s hard to have expectations for the positional result because it’s judged subjectively, but I have a standard of riding that I want to show. I think it’s looking pretty good so far,” he said.
A Record-Breaking Jump and Unique Preparation
Hroneš has spent the past two days training on a big air jump that is, according to him, the largest ever constructed for a competition. The Livigno structure is two meters taller than the one used at the Beijing Olympics. While acknowledging the intimidating nature of the jump, he found an unexpected source of apprehension: the ski lift used to access it. “It’s scary. But more scary is, I think, riding up that lift that looks less credible than how credible it should be,” he remarked with a smile.
The evening competition format, with artificial lighting and cold temperatures, doesn’t faze Hroneš. In fact, he embraces the atmosphere. “I enjoy the atmosphere of how it’s lit up, it looks really cool. It’s great that the conditions are the same for everyone, even if it’s ugly during the day,” he explained. He is, however, taking precautions against the cold, layering up with warm clothing and utilizing a heated vest during his runs.
“It’s pretty cold, which isn’t the most pleasant, but I try to stay warm. The runs are pretty quick, it’s one run every ten minutes. I have a down jacket up there and I’m warming up all the time. It’s something we all have to get used to,” he added.
Building Camaraderie on the World Stage
Beyond the competition, Hroneš is enjoying the camaraderie with fellow snowboarders. He’s been spending downtime with friends he’s met throughout the World Cup season, including visits to the sauna. “It’s great to be with friends I’ve been with all year at the World Cups. That’s what’s really cool about snowboarding. Unlike other sports where I notice it’s more separated by countries, we don’t worry about that. We go everywhere together,” he said.
Recent Successes and FIS Rankings
Hroneš’s recent success includes a gold medal in slopestyle and a silver medal in Big Air at the European Youth Olympic Games in Vuokatti, Finland in . He also made history by executing the world’s first Switch Boardslide Switch Triple Underflip 1170 Out Of Rail session in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic.
According to FIS data as of , Hroneš is ranked 9th in the overall Snowboard Park (PAR) standings. He holds a 18th ranking in Big Air (BA) with 545.90 FIS points, and 25th in Slopestyle (SS) with 316.45 FIS points. He recently competed in Laax, Switzerland, on , finishing 23rd in Slopestyle at the World Cup event, and 12th in the qualification round. Earlier in January, at Snowmass, USA, he placed 18th in Slopestyle on . In December , at the World Cup in Beijing, China, he finished 25th in Big Air.
Hroneš’s innovative approach to snowboarding extends to his equipment choices, notably his decision to use lard instead of traditional wax on his snowboard, believing it enhances sliding properties. This unconventional method, combined with his dedication and adaptability, has been instrumental in his rapid rise in the sport.