ZHANGJIAKOU /China/, February 8. /TASS/. Russian snowboarder Victor Wild won bronze on Tuesday in men’s parallel giant slalom competition at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in China.

In the race for the bronze Wild defeated Italy’s Roland Fischnaller. The gold went to Austria’s Benjamin Karl, who outraced his competitor Tim Mastnak of Slovenia in the final and left him with the silver.

Russian snowboarder Dmitry Loginov lost to his teammate Wild in the quarterfinals run, Andrey Sobolev failed to clear the qualifications round and Dmitry Karlagachev did not start because of a positive test for the novel coronavirus.

Speaking to journalists after winning the bronze on Tuesday, Wild said he would decide on his future career in a couple of days. The famous snowboarder voiced his intentions earlier to wrap up with sports career following this season.

"I will think about what to do in a couple of days," Wild told journalists on Tuesday.

Wild is 35 years old and he is the two time gold medal winner of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi (parallel slalom and parallel giant slalom).

Denis Tikhomirov, the president of the Russian Snowboard Federation (RSF), told TASS earlier in the day that Wild was welcome to continue his sports career in the future.

"He said that this was a final season for him," Tikhomirov said. "I’m consent with all developments. Perhaps, he can carry on with his [sports] career if he is still feeling strong."

Wild was born in the United States and initially competed for the Team USA. He married Russian snowboarder Alena Zavarzina in 2011 and applied for the Russian citizenship, which was granted to him.

The US-born snowboarder have been competing for the Russian national team since 2012.

Team ROC (the Russian Olympic Committee) is currently 5th in the overall medal standings of the 2022 Olympics (two gold, three silver, four bronze medals). Team Sweden tops the standings with four gold, one silver and one bronze medals. The Netherlands comes 2nd (three gold, three silver and one bronze). Hosts China are 3rd (3-2-0) and Team Norway 4th (3-0-4)

The 2022 Winter Olympic Games in the Chinese capital of Beijing are running on February 4-20. During the 128th IOC session in Kuala Lumpur on July 31, 2015, Beijing was chosen to host the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games making the Chinese capital the first city ever to host both the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games (in 2008) as well as the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games (in 2022).

Russian athletes at Beijing-2022

Due to international sanctions against Russian sports, athletes from Russia are competing in the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing under the flag and logo of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) instead of the Russian national flag and state emblem.

The national anthem of Russia is also under sanctions at the Olympics in China. The First Piano Concerto by Pyotr Tchaikovsky was selected to be played at awarding ceremonies for Russian Olympians in Beijing.