Born and raised within the United States to a British father and a Malaysian mom, Atkin has competed for Great Britain her whole profession and made an Olympic debut 4 years in the past.
With her sister and household watching on at Livigno Snow Park, she put in an assured efficiency to start out her Olympic marketing campaign, impressing the judges with the peak of her tips above the 6.7m-high pipe.
Canada’s Cassie Sharpe, the 2018 Olympic champion and 2022 silver medallist, certified third after her first run, however was taken away on a stretcher after a heavy crash on her second.
By qualifying top, Atkin will drop final into Saturday’s final (18:30 GMT) within the best-of-three runs contest.
“It is nerve-wracking, but it is also nice as you get to see what everyone is doing, so you can strategise a little bit,” she added.
“It gives me confidence to know the judges like my skiing, and they’re hyped to see what I bring to the finals. I am confident and feeling excited.
“The pipe is wonderful. It is certainly a steep pitch, so it permits for loads of velocity, which is type of one among my issues to go massive.”
Heavy snow fell on Livigno throughout Thursday, causing the men’s halfpipe qualifiers to be postponed.
They will now happen on Friday morning from 09:30 GMT, with Gus Kenworthy and Liam Richards competing for Great Britain.
