Winter Olympics: Aussies pay tribute to Alex ‘Chumpy’ Pullin ahead of 2022 Beijing Olympic Games

Australia’s winter Olympians have paid tribute to Alex ‘Chumpy’ Pullin ahead of the Winter Olympics, after the nation’s 2014 flag bearer’s passing in 2020.

The Australian snowboarding legend, who won a gold medal at the New Zealand Winter Games in 2011, drowned on the Gold Coast at just 32.

Then 30, Pullin carried the flag for the nation in Sochi in one of his three appearances at the Games, as one of Australia’s most beloved Winter athletes.

Ahead of the first Winter Games since his death, Olympians revealed they would try to honour him with their own success in Beijing.

Former teammate Cam Bolton said Pullin had started out as his “hero” before becoming a “mentor, a teammate and a best friend.”

“One of the most incredible people that I know I’ll ever meet or ever come across,” Bolton told Seven.

“Chumpy drove us all to be better; always, always, always. And still does.”

Olympic debutant Adam Dickson labelled Pullin one of his biggest inspirations.

“He was always the one to look up to in the sport,” he said.

“He was the best in Australia and pretty amazing at everything he did.”

Young gun Adam Lambert said he lived more in his 30 years than most people live in their lifetime.

“He’s always there with us in every race... We miss him, but he’s still here,” he said.

He is survived by his partner Ellidy Pullin and their daughter Minnie, who was conceived through IVF after Chumpy’s death.