Australia remains without a para alpine skiing medal in Beijing with just three days to go, but former footballer Josh Hanlon has emerged as a prospect for the future after a promising Winter Paralympics debut.
Outgoing veteran Mitch Gourley recorded Australia's best result, finishing 10th in the men's standing giant slalom after an error in his second run cost him his shot at a fairytale podium finish in his fourth and final Games.
Hanlon, 24, underlined his potential when he finished 11th in the men's sitting giant slalom in his first day of competition in Yanqing, less than three years after the former footballer first took on sit-skiing.
"It was great fun. The first run I was definitely a bit nervous and a bit frozen up but second run I let it run a bit more and went a bit better," Hanlon said.
"Can't be happier than to finish those two runs and be not too bad.
"With a bit more confidence and not so nervous I think I could have been heaps quicker than that.
"Slalom (on Sunday) - I can't wait. I've probably been skiing better times in it in relation to other athletes so hopefully the nerves are out of the way, I'll crack in and get a bit closer to the lead."
Teammate Sam Tait finished up his campaign by coming 22nd in the same event and joked he was "pretty scared for the future" after Hanlon's debut.
Tait appreciated finishing the event after crashing in his pet downhill event and the Super G and vowed to return stronger in four years' time.
"I can't pass up Italy and I need redemption in the speed event so you'll see me in Italy for sure," he said.
Veteran Gourley shaped as Australia's best medal prospect but a difficult second run proved costly as he finished 10th in the men's standing.
Gourlay finished seventh in his first run and his first run time of 59.73 was just 2.13 seconds off leader Thomas Charles Walsh and 1.37 seconds off the medal places.
But as he went for broke in his second run, Gourley was late into a gate and as a result, almost spun off course and had to correct himself.
The mistake took a lot of speed out of his run and he was unable to pick up the crucial seconds required to medal.
"I just wasn't quite centred on the ski and got sucked down into that soft stuff," he said.
"It's frustrating on one side but it's also really heartening on the other that I can be proud of my skiing at this time."
Gourley will now have to rely on pulling out something special in Sunday's slalom, his form in which he's previously termed a "mythical beast" if he's to snare a breakthrough medal.
"One last shot, throw it all down on the hill and be proud of how I approach it, just like today," he said.
"Not sure how it's going to feel. I've been feeling everything so I might be out of emotion by then which might be a good thing, I might be able to relax and enjoy a couple of runs of slalom."
Patrick Jensen and sighted guide Amelia Hodgson were ninth after their first run in the vision impaired category, but failed to finish the second run.
