Quick Read
- Australia’s Cooper Woods won Olympic gold in men’s freeski moguls at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
- Woods defeated Canadian legend Mikaël Kingsbury in a tiebreak after both scored 83.71 points.
- The tiebreak was decided by turn points, with Woods scoring 48.4 to Kingsbury’s 47.7.
- This is Woods’ first Olympic medal and Australia’s first gold of the 2026 Games.
- Mikaël Kingsbury, 33, secured his fourth career Olympic medal, a silver, and expressed frustration over the tiebreak.
LIVIGNO (Azat TV) – Australia’s Cooper Woods secured an Olympic gold medal in the men’s freeski moguls competition on Thursday in Livigno, Italy, at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, prevailing over Canadian superstar Mikaël Kingsbury in a rare tiebreak decision. The victory marks a significant upset and Woods’ first major career medal, simultaneously delivering Australia its first gold of these Games.
Woods, a 25-year-old from Merimbula, and Kingsbury, the sport’s most decorated athlete, both concluded the final with identical scores of 83.71 points. The gold medal was ultimately decided by the athletes’ turn points, which constitute 60 percent of the overall moguls score. Woods edged out Kingsbury with a turn score of 48.4 to Kingsbury’s 47.7, securing the top spot on the podium.
Cooper Woods’ Breakthrough Olympic Performance
For Cooper Woods, who made his Olympic debut in Beijing 2022 finishing sixth, this victory represents the pinnacle of his career. Entering the Milan Cortina Games without any Olympic or World Championship medals, Woods delivered what he described as the ‘run of his career,’ navigating the moguls in 22.61 seconds. His emotional reaction, screaming and embracing fellow Australian Matt Graham, underscored the magnitude of his achievement. “It hasn’t sunk in yet. Speechless, super emotional, very proud,” Woods stated after his win, adding, “It’s not often that you get one over Mikaël, so I’ll take it when I can,” as reported by The New York Times.
Mikaël Kingsbury Denied Second Gold in Milan Cortina
Mikaël Kingsbury, Canada’s flagbearer and widely regarded as the greatest freestyle skier of all time, expressed visible frustration after the tiebreak decision. Despite his unparalleled record of nine World Championship titles, 100 World Cup wins, and 143 podiums, he was denied a second career Olympic gold, adding a third silver medal to his collection (following 2014 and 2022). Kingsbury, 33, acknowledged the challenge of competing at the elite level, especially after a groin injury sidelined him at the start of the 2025-26 moguls season. “It was close, a tiebreak – unfortunately I’m the guy not on the good side of it. But I’ve worked very hard for this medal,” Kingsbury commented, noting, “I’m getting older, I’m 33, I had an injury in September. At some point it felt like it was impossible to be back at that level,” according to The New York Times.
Moguls Judging and Ikuma Horishima’s Bronze
The sport of moguls skiing is judged across three critical areas: turns, air, and speed. Turns are the most heavily weighted, accounting for 60 percent of a skier’s total score, while air and speed each contribute 20 percent. Judges meticulously evaluate technical execution of turns, focusing on factors like fall line, carving, absorption, extension, and upper body stability. Deductions are applied for technical errors, with the highest and lowest scores from five judges discarded before combining the remaining marks for a maximum of 60 points.
Japan’s Ikuma Horishima secured the bronze medal, marking his second career Olympic medal. Horishima had previously prevented Kingsbury from achieving three consecutive moguls world titles last year, further solidifying his position as a formidable competitor in the sport.
The dramatic tiebreak victory for Cooper Woods not only signifies a changing of the guard in men’s moguls but also highlights the razor-thin margins that define elite Olympic competition, underscoring the intense pressure and precision required to succeed at the highest level.