Dara Howell facts for kids
Dara Howell at a photoshoot in 2019
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| Nickname(s) | Dar, Lizzy D | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | August 23, 1994 Huntsville, Ontario, Canada |
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| Height | 5 ft 10 in | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Dara Howell (born August 23, 1994) is a Canadian freestyle skier. She made history by winning the first-ever gold medal in ski slopestyle at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Dara has also won several bronze medals at the Winter X Games.
Contents
Dara Howell's Skiing Journey
Early Competitions and X Games
Dara Howell first competed at the Winter X Games in Aspen in 2012. She was the youngest female athlete there. After that, she won a bronze medal at the 2012 Winter X Games in Tignes. By 2019, Dara had earned four medals at the Winter X Games.
Olympic Gold in Sochi
At the 2014 Winter Olympics, Dara was a strong contender for a gold medal. Her teammate, Kaya Turski, was also expected to do well. However, Kaya was not feeling well and couldn't make it to the finals.
In the final round, Dara had an amazing first run. She scored 94.2 points. This score was so good that it held up, and she won the gold medal! Another Canadian skier, Kim Lamarre, won the bronze. This was a fantastic event for Canada, with two medals in one sport.
Many Canadian freestyle skiers, including Dara, were inspired by Sarah Burke. Sarah was a famous freestyle skier who sadly passed away a few years before slopestyle became an Olympic sport. Sarah had even coached Dara at ski camps. Dara dedicated her Olympic victory to Sarah. She said it was "totally for Sarah" and she couldn't believe she had won.
Facing Challenges and Coming Back
After the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Dara faced some tough times. She dealt with injuries and personal pressures. Even so, she worked hard and qualified for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. She competed for Canada in PyeongChang, South Korea.
In the 2018/2019 season, Dara got a serious knee injury. This happened at a Big Air World Cup event in New Zealand. She tore a ligament in her knee, which needed surgery. Because of this, she missed the rest of that season while she recovered.
Dara returned to competition in November 2019. She competed at the Modena Skipass World Cup in Italy. She finished first in the qualifying round. Then, she went on to win a bronze medal in the final.
A Glimpse into Dara's Life
Dara Howell was born in Huntsville, Ontario. She went to Tawingo College and Huntsville Public School. Later, she graduated from Huntsville High School. She also took some online courses. Dara has an older brother named Brett. After winning her Olympic gold medal, Dara openly shared about the challenges she faced. She learned a lot about handling the pressure that came with her big win.
