Cooper Woods delivered a stunning performance Thursday, securing Australia’s first gold medal of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in the men’s moguls competition. The victory marks a significant moment for the Australian team early in the Games.
Woods, who had never won a FIS World Cup event prior to Thursday, navigated the challenging Livigno Aerials and Moguls Park course with a series of impressive runs. He topped the second-chance qualifying round and then posted a score of 83.60 to reach the super final.
In a nail-biting finish, Woods matched the score of Canadian legend Mikael Kingsbury with 83.71, but claimed the gold medal due to a higher score on the turns. “It hasn’t really sunk in the significance,” Woods told the Nine Network. “I’m probably going to go home for a solid hour and sit there and figure out what’s going on.”
Cooper Woods celebrates with his gold medal on top of the podium. (Getty Images: David Ramos)
Fellow Australians Matt Graham and Jackson Harvey also impressed, finishing fifth with a score of 80.88 and eighth, respectively. Their strong performances highlighted a successful day for the Australian moguls team. You can find the latest updates on the Winter Olympics here.
Ikuma Horishima of Japan took bronze with 83.44, while Sweden’s Walter Wallberg finished fourth.
“I was pretty nervous up top on that last one,” Woods admitted. “I had a mentality to let it loose today, and then I thought, ‘This is the final round and I’m dropping last, what’s going on here?’. Then my coach Bobby dialled me in.”
Cooper Woods (left) is congratulated by Australian teammate Matt Graham. (Getty Images: Michael Reaves)
Australia has now secured seven gold medals in Winter Olympics history, with this win adding to their legacy in the sport. Dale Begg-Smith previously won moguls gold in 2006, and Jakara Anthony claimed the women’s title at the 2022 Beijing Games.
