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Livigno: Cooper Woods has etched his name into history, delivering Australia’s first podium finish of Milano Cortina 2026 in men’s moguls – a stunning gold medal.
Competing at his second Winter Olympics, Cooper snatched the top prize from Canada’s Mikael Kingsbury, one of the greatest moguls skiers of all time, with the last run of the final at the Livigno Aerials and Moguls Park on Thursday.
Cooper Woods celebrates.Credit: Getty Images
The 25-year-old, who qualified in first position, showed nerves of steel to produce a score of 83.71 – the same number Kingsbury, a three-time Olympic medallist, also produced.
But because of Woods’ higher turns score – 48.4 to Kingsbury’s 47.7 – he won the gold, sparking euphoric scenes among the many Australian supporters at the venue when his number flashed up on the screens. Matt Graham, Australia’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony and a four-time Olympian, picked him up and lifted him into the air in celebration.
It is the nation’s 20th overall medal at the Winter Olympics and seventh gold, and the fifth in moguls freestyle skiing, a discipline Australia has excelled at for many years.
Woods, who grew up on the NSW South Coast, made a strong sixth-placed finish in his Olympic debut four years ago and has credited former Wallabies captain John Eales – his mentor through the Sport Australia Hall of Fame scholarship program – for helping him refine his mental preparation for competition.
Cooper Woods reacts after winning the gold medal in the men’s freestyle moguls.Credit: Getty
He has deep roots in the sport: both of his parents were part of the Australian aerials team during the 1990s, and he is the nephew of Peter Topalovic, who was the national moguls coach across the 2000s and 2010s.
This is by far the greatest moment of his career.
His best finish this season was ninth place in Finland in December, and he has never won a World Cup medal, but managed to produce the goods on the biggest stage of them all, a day after hot favourite Jakara Anthony missed the podium in the women’s final.
Australia had three men in the final, with Graham coming fifth and Jackson Harvey eighth.
The bronze medal went to Japan’s Ikuma Horishima, who was the bronze medallist in this event at the last Winter Olympics and led the World Cup standings coming into these Games.
None of them are done yet. Dual moguls is making its Olympic debut this year and all three of them, as well as George Murphy, who did not make the final – will compete again, as will the women’s skiers, including Anthony, Charlotte Wilson and Emma Bosco.
More to come
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
