Get ready for a thrilling Olympic showdown as Australian athletes battle for gold under the shadow of fierce American competition—and this is where it gets intense. Australian flag-bearer Matt Graham has secured his spot in the Olympic moguls final, aiming to surpass his 2018 silver medal, while reigning champion Jakara Anthony has dominated the qualifiers, positioning herself as a strong contender to defend her title at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics. But here’s where it gets controversial: can Anthony fend off the rising American stars hot on her heels, or will we see a new champion crowned? Let the debate begin!
Anthony’s performance in Qualification 1 was nothing short of spectacular. She topped the scoreboard with a near-perfect score of 81.65, showcasing her signature precision on the bumps and executing a flawless Cork 7 Mute followed by a Back X on the jumps. ‘It felt like the run I needed for qualifications, pretty tidy,’ Anthony remarked in Livigno. Her strategy was clear: secure a spot in the finals early to avoid the pressure of Qualification 2. And this is the part most people miss—her ability to stay calm under pressure, despite entering the Olympics after recovering from a collarbone injury last year.
Speaking of pressure, the American duo of Elizabeth Lemley (80.95) and Olivia Giaccio (80.74) are breathing down Anthony’s neck, proving that the competition is fiercer than ever. Meanwhile, fellow Aussies Emma Bosco (17th) and Charlotte Wilson (28th) will need to fight their way through the second qualification round to join the final 10. Is this the year the Americans take the crown, or will Anthony’s experience prevail?
For Graham, the journey to the final was a nail-biter. After a mid-pack qualifying run, he secured the 10th and final automatic spot with a score of 75.77. ‘Sneaked in there, probably got a little lucky, but I’ll take it,’ he admitted to Channel Nine. Fellow Aussie Cooper Woods, who finished 6th in Beijing, will join Olympic newcomers George Murphy and Jackson Harvey in the second-chance qualifier, hoping to turn things around.
Japan’s Ikuma Horishima leads the men’s field with a staggering 85.42, setting the stage for a high-stakes final where riskier jumps could redefine the leaderboard. Here’s a fun twist: for the first time at the Olympics, moguls competitors can also enter the dual moguls event, where athletes race side by side—a format that’s sure to add even more excitement.
The women’s final kicks off late Wednesday night (AEDT), with Anthony’s back-to-back gold runs at 12:15am and 12:55am Thursday, while the men’s final follows the next evening. Will Anthony’s reign continue, or will a new star emerge? And can Graham turn his ‘lucky’ qualification into Olympic gold? Let us know your predictions in the comments—this is one Olympic story you won’t want to miss!
