That Valentino Guseli has qualified for the men's snowboard halfpipe final has come as no surprise to his family back home.
While Aussies have come to love his big personality and equally big hair, to his family, he's quite the opposite.
"We just know him as humble Val – we call him the zen master. He's a weapon," his cousin Enrico Guseli told Nine's Today on Thursday morning as he held a stuffed toy Yoda, which he said reminded him of Val.
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On Saturday morning (AEDT) in Livigno, half a world away from his family in Kianga on the NSW south coast, Guseli will join countryman Scotty James in going for gold in the men's halfpipe final.
On Thursday morning (AEDT), James topped the qualifying score sheet with a 94, while Guseli qualified sixth with an 86.75.
"We're immensely proud," Enrico continued. "He's multi-talented in the three disciplines, so hopefully he can get into the slopestyle as well, because he's got a lot he can do in that, (he can do) a lot of damage."
His grandmother Glenda said his jumps on Thursday morning were "poetry in motion", but admitted she still got nervous every time she watches him compete.
"Every time I watch him jump, I just get very shaky all over in case he's going to fall – I really worry about him falling," she said.
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"But it's so exciting though. I'm getting used to it slowly. How smooth he does it, it's just like poetry in motion. He's a beautiful boy."
She might have been shaking violently enough to register on the Richter scale after the 20-year-old crashed in an all-or-nothing crack at a medal in the snowboard big air final on Sunday morning (AEDT).
Glenda said she had managed to speak to Val on several occasions.
"He's really enjoying being there and what he's doing, being with all the other ones that are snowboarding … they're all good friends," she said.
"It's lovely to see how they encourage each other. Even if they don't make it, they're still happy for the other ones that are winning. He's such a humble boy."
His grandfather Guido said friends at his favourite coffee shop had told him watching the 20-year-old compete had brought them all happiness.
"At the coffee shop, and there was a lot of old people like me saying 'we came alive because of Valentino'," the beaming grandfather said.
"They're looking at his qualities. And that's what I look at. Yes, it's a good quality and it cheers everybody up. Makes everyone happy."
While James will no doubt start the halfpipe final as favourite, Guseli is a genuine chance to make it two Aussies on the podium.
But his family won't care where he finishes.
"Whatever happens, we're proud of him," Glenda said. "To us, he's a winner."
"He's such a beautiful boy, win or lose, it doesn't matter. He's already won.
"For us. He's he's already won."
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