Canadian freestyle skier Mikaël Kingsbury clinched the silver medal in the men’s moguls final at the Milano-Cortina Winter Games, narrowly missing out on the gold. The 33-year-old competitor from Deux-Montagnes, Quebec, scored 83.71 at Livigno Air Park, tying with Australia’s Cooper Woods.
In the moguls scoring system, turns contribute 60% of the score, while the two jumps and speed each account for 20%. Woods excelled in the turns element, securing victory with a score of 48.40 against Kingsbury’s 47.70.
Expressing his feelings, Kingsbury stated, “I feel amazing. I’m very happy with my skiing. 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.”
Japan’s Ikuma Horishima claimed the bronze medal with a score of 83.44 points. Quebec City’s Julien Viel finished sixth with 79.78 points.
This achievement marks Kingsbury’s fourth Olympic medal, complementing his gold at PyeongChang 2018 and two silver medals from Sochi 2014 and Beijing 2022. He now holds the record for being the first male freestyle skier to secure four Olympic medals.
Reflecting on the event, Kingsbury shared, “I just want to enjoy myself. It’s my last race at the Olympic Games, so I’m going to enjoy every moment and push as hard as I can and ski with no regrets.”
Though initially disappointed, Kingsbury later smiled as he proudly displayed his silver medal on the podium. He acknowledged the challenges he faced, including an injury in September, and expressed gratitude to his team for their unwavering support and dedication.
Woods’ unexpected victory over Kingsbury, who recently achieved his 100th FIS World Cup win, left both skiers emotional. Woods, overwhelmed with joy, expressed his pride and gratitude for the triumph over the moguls legend.
Quebec City’s Julien Viel finished sixth, while Elliot Vaillancourt of Drummondville, Quebec, placed 14th in the first round of the final, missing out on advancing to the medal round.
Kingsbury and his team are gearing up for the men’s dual moguls event scheduled for February 15, offering another chance for Olympic glory.
