Quick Read
- Australian moguls skier Cooper Woods placed 15th in Qualification 1 at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno.
- He did not secure an automatic spot in the finals and will compete in Qualification 2 on Thursday.
- Woods previously finished sixth at the Beijing 2022 Olympics.
- He stated he enjoys pressure, believing “pressure makes diamonds.”
- Other Australians, Jakara Anthony and Matt Graham, directly qualified for their respective finals.
LIVIGNO (Azat TV) – Australian moguls skier Cooper Woods is gearing up for a high-stakes Qualification 2 round at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno after placing 15th in the initial qualifying event on Tuesday. His performance, while impressive in parts, means the 25-year-old will need to secure a top-10 finish in Thursday’s upcoming round to advance to the finals, keeping his Olympic medal hopes alive.
Woods’ Performance in Qualification 1
Woods, who famously finished sixth at the Beijing 2022 Games, was marked down for his air during an otherwise strong run in Livigno. This placed him outside the crucial top 10 who automatically bypassed the second qualification stage. Japan’s Ikuma Hiroshima led the men’s qualifying with a score of 85.43, while Australia’s other flag-bearer, Matt Graham, secured his direct spot in 10th place despite a run he described as having “a lot of room to improve.”
The Road Ahead: Qualification 2 Explained
The Olympic moguls format sees 30 skiers compete in Qualification 1, with the top 10 moving straight to the first final. The remaining skiers, including Woods, then contest Qualification 2, where another 10 berths for the final are up for grabs. The field then narrows through two final rounds, culminating in an eight-skier medal round, a slight increase from the six skiers in 2022. This change means that while the path to the podium remains challenging, the ultimate medal round features more competitors.
Pressure Makes Diamonds: Woods’ Mindset
Undeterred by the need for an additional qualifying run, Woods expressed confidence in his ability to perform under pressure. “It puts a bit more pressure on for the next qualifications, but I enjoy more pressure, pressure makes diamonds, so excited for the next,” the 25-year-old stated, according to the Australian Associated Press. This resilience echoes his previous Olympic experience, where he demonstrated a strong competitive spirit despite bowing out in heartbreaking fashion in Beijing’s qualifying due to a broken collarbone.
Australian Moguls Team Outlook
While Woods prepares for Qualification 2, fellow Australian moguls sensation Jakara Anthony continued her dominant form, topping women’s moguls qualifying with a flawless run, directly advancing to the finals. Anthony, a 27-year-old Olympic champion, has maintained an unbeaten record across five rounds of competition, positioning herself as a strong contender for another gold. Alongside Woods, Olympic debutants Jackson Harvey (23rd) and George Murphy (26th) will also compete in Thursday’s Qualification 2, hoping to join Anthony and Graham in the medal rounds. Harvey, a dual citizen competing for his mother’s home country after 14 months off snow due to a knee injury, marked his debut as the “proudest moment of my life so far,” despite also facing the second qualifying round.
Cooper Woods’ experience from the 2022 Games, where he achieved a notable sixth-place finish, combined with his expressed confidence under pressure, positions him as a strong contender to advance from the upcoming Qualification 2 round. His ability to perform when stakes are highest will be crucial for his progression in the Livigno Olympics.