Kevin Bickner competed in ski jumping for the United States at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Ski jumping combines a high-speed descent down an in-run with a takeoff, flight, and landing on a specially designed hill; athletes are judged primarily for distance and style, with wind and gate adjustments also affecting scores.
Bickner made his Olympic debut at PyeongChang in 2018. He placed 18th in the men’s normal-hill individual event and 20th in the large-hill individual event. He also competed in the men’s team large-hill competition, where the United States finished ninth.
Ski jumping is sometimes confused with the jumping portion of Nordic combined, but they are separate Olympic disciplines. Nordic combined pairs ski jumping with cross-country skiing, while ski jumping itself is the standalone event. Bickner learned the sport at Norge Ski Club in Fox River Grove, Illinois, and became one of the American team’s notable jumpers during the PyeongChang Games.