Upset in Men's Moguls: Cooper Woods Claims Gold at Milan Cortina Olympics

At the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, Australian freestyle skier Cooper Woods achieved a stunning upset by winning the gold medal in the men’s moguls event. Woods and Canada’s Mikael Kingsbury both scored 83.71 points in the final, but Woods was awarded the gold due to a superior score in the "turns" category, which constitutes 60% of the total score. Woods received a turns score of 48.40, compared to Kingsbury's 47.70. This marked a significant moment for Woods, who had only one podium finish in 51 World Cup events prior to this victory.

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Mikael Kingsbury, widely regarded as one of the greatest moguls skiers of all time, secured his fourth Olympic medal with this performance, adding to his gold from the 2018 PyeongChang Games and silvers from the 2014 Sochi and 2022 Beijing Olympics. The 33-year-old from Deux-Montagnes, Quebec, expressed disappointment over the tiebreaker decision, stating, “It was close, a tiebreak, unfortunately I’m the guy not on the good side of it.” Despite the setback, Kingsbury's achievements in the sport remain unparalleled.

Canadian skier Mikael Kingsbury wins Olympic silver in men's moguls

With this event, Canada has now won a total of five medals at the 2026 Olympics, consisting of two silver and three bronze medals, placing the country 14th in the overall medal standings. Norway leads with seven gold medals and a total of 13 medals. Ikuma Horishima of Japan secured the bronze medal with a score of 83.44, while Quebec City’s Julien Viel finished sixth with a score of 79.78.

Mikael Kingsbury wins Olympic silver in the men’s moguls in Italy

The outcome of the men’s moguls event has sparked discussions regarding the fairness of the tiebreaker system. Some critics argue that both Woods and Kingsbury should have been awarded gold medals given their identical overall scores. The debate highlights the subjective nature of judging in freestyle skiing, particularly in events where minute differences can determine medal placements.

Mikael Kingsbury wins Olympic silver in the men’s moguls in Italy

• “(I’m) speechless, super emotional, very proud. I didn’t have any expectations this morning. I just wanted to go out and ski my runs and stay true to what I know I can achieve,” — Cooper Woods, Gold Medalist

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• “It was close, a tiebreak, unfortunately I’m the guy not on the good side of it,” — Mikael Kingsbury, Silver Medalist

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The men's moguls event at the Milan Cortina Olympics not only showcased the competitive spirit of freestyle skiing but also raised questions about the judging criteria that can lead to such narrow margins in high-stakes competitions.

Associated Press