American freestyle skier Chris Lillis chatted with Digital Journal’s Markos Papadatos about his career in the sport, and his future goals, which include competing at the XXIV Olympic Winter Games (Beijing 2022).
At the moment, he is ranked sixth in the world. “That feels pretty good,” he said. “I am still looking up and I am still trying to break into the top two spots.”
Lillis was the youngest man ever to win a FIS aerials World Cup, claiming the top spot as a 17-year-old back in 2016; moreover has had 13 career podiums in NorAms, with four of those being career wins.
He is the first American to successfully complete a quintuple (comprised of five twists, three flips) since the late Jeret “Speedy” Peterson in 2010.
2021 World Championships in Almaty
At the 2021 FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan, he took home two medals for Team USA, a silver in the aerials, and a bronze medal in the mixed aerials. “That was awesome,” he admitted. “It was a really big achievement but obviously, I wanted to make that silver into a gold one. Fortunately, that’s what the Olympics are for next year, Beijing 2022, which is four months away.”
Motivations
On his daily motivations, he said, “I have been skiing my entire life, and I have been doing acrobatic skiing since I was 10 years old. I am motivated each day since it has been my dream to go to the Olympics ever since I was a kid.”
“Outside of that, I have a strong family connection and I grew up skiing with my two brothers. My older brother, Jon, was a 2018 Olympian and we trained, lived together and we traveled the world together,” he said. “My younger brother, Mikey, was also a skier but unfortunately, he passed away a few years ago.”
“Skiing is a family sport for me, and it drives my passion,” he added.
For young and aspiring freestyle skiers, he said, “Just keep driving, keep skiing, and keep jumping. If you have aspirations to be an Olympic skier just make sure that you see that through and that you never give up on it. Keep seeing it through and if you want it enough, you will get there.”
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he said, “Going for Gold.”
Lillis defined the word success simply as “doing your job, really.” “There are a million things that might get in the way of winning the Olympics that are outside of your control but as long as you get out there and you go and do your job, then that’s a success.”
For his fans and supporters, he said, “Hold your breath, here it comes.”
To learn more about American freestyle skier and national champion Chris Lillis, follow him on Instagram.
