Cooper Woods wins Australia’s first gold of 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics

Australia has won its first medal of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, with Cooper Woods claiming a stunning moguls gold.

Matt Graham finished fifth and Jackson Harvey eighth as three Aussies made the super final.

Woods, who has never won a FIS World Cup event and with a single podium from 2024 in his career, stunned the world’s best with a series of sublime runs at the Livigno Aerials and Moguls Park on Thursday.

After needing the second-chance qualifying on Thursday morning, which he topped, the 25-year-old Australia scored a massive 83.60 to head the field into the top eight final.

Going last, Woods scored the same as Canadian legend Mikael Kingsbury 83.71 in the super final, but won on account of his greater score on the turns.

Ikuma Horishima of Japan finished a tight third with 83.44, with Swede Walter Wallberg in fourth.

Graham (80.88) and Harvey (74.93) also impressed as the Aussie crowd were given something significant to cheer about following the disappointment of Jakara Anthony the day before. 

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