The 21-year-old from Saranac Lake knew he’d missed his chance to qualify for the first round of the large hill competition, the second and last individual ski jumping event of the Sochi Winter Olympics.

By the time the entire field of 61 athletes had jumped, Frenette missed the cut to advance out of qualifications by three places, finishing 43rd. He jumped 111 meters and received a total of 80.9 points.

“It wasn’t a very good jump, and I haven’t jumped well all week on this hill,” Frenette said. “I just never got the feel for the hill, really. It was tough. But it’s alright. We’ve still got the team event, so I’ll try to jump well there.”

Three other Americans did advance in Friday night’s qualifications, held at the RusSki Gorki Jumping Center. Nick Alexander of Lebanon, N.H., qualified in 30th position with a score of 96.6, while Nick Fairall of Andover, N.H., was one spot back with his 95.7. Park City Utah’s Anders Johnson was 36th with a 91.1.

Johnson said his jump, which registered 112 meters, was OK.

“It’s still a little ways out from where I want to be with my technique,” he said. “But I’d say for the jumps I’ve had on the large hill, that was probably one of the better ones. It’s difficult conditions out here, especially on the large hill. The wind was changing quite a bit.”

Frenette’s disappointment at failing to advance on the large hill comes after a tough start to the games in the normal hill competition. He advanced to the first round but placed 45th and didn’t get into the final.

Throughout these games, his parents, Peter Sr. and Jennie, have watched from the stands at RusSki Gorki with the parents and family members of the other U.S. ski jumpers. Jennie Frenette was sending her son a text message as Friday night’s competition neared its end.

“I told him we’ll meet up tomorrow, and it is what it is,” she said. “We’re proud of him, super proud. He’s an Olympian. It’s a hard sport. Sometimes you do it, and sometimes you don’t.”

“I feel bad for him,” Peter Sr. said. “I’m sure that’s not what he wanted, but sometimes that’s what happens.”

Jennie Frenette said she’s confident her son will be able to put this disappointment behind him in time for the team event on Monday, although she and her husband are leaving for home on Sunday and won’t get to see it in person.

“It is the Olympics, and there’s so much pressure,” she said. “But we forget that they do this every weekend from the end of November to the end of March. Yes it’s the time when we all pay attention, but it’s just one weekend.”

The first round of Saturday’s large hill competition gets under way at 9:30 p.m.