Japan sweeps gold and silver in Olympic snowboard big air

Japan Sweeps Gold and Silver in Snowboard Big Air

Kira Kimura delivered a stunning final-run comeback Saturday night to claim Japan’s first-ever gold medal in men’s snowboard big air at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, leading a historic Japanese sweep of the top two positions in Livigno, Italy.

The 21-year-old Kimura, making his Olympic debut, nailed a switch backside 1980 on his third and final attempt, earning the highest score of the evening at 90.50 to finish with 179.50 total points. His teammate Ryoma Kimata, the reigning world champion, took silver with 171.50 points.nbcolympics

A Dramatic Comeback Under Floodlights

After leading following his opening run with 89.00 points, Kimura stumbled on his second attempt, falling out of medal contention. But he regrouped for his decisive final jump under the floodlights at Livigno Snow Park.

“I’ve devoted a lot of time to snowboarding this year,” Kimura said after crying with his coach Daisuke Nishimura as his victory was announced. “My family, coach and everyone around me gave me tremendous support, so I’m truly delighted to have achieved this result and prove the doubters wrong.”straitstimes

Asked about Japan’s emergence as a snowboarding powerhouse, Kimura pointed to off-season preparation. “The key is what we do in the off-season,” he said. “In the summer, we practice on the airbags, and our coaches are very good with teaching us technique.”nbcolympics

Defending Champion Su Takes Bronze

Defending Olympic champion Su Yiming of China secured bronze with 168.50 points, becoming the first man in history to win two medals in Olympic big air. Su, who won gold at Beijing 2022, touched down with his hand on both his second and third runs, preventing a title defense.olympics

“I’m happy to finally have every single colour of the Olympic medals, it’s a big thing that I want to celebrate,” Su said, referencing his slopestyle silver from Beijing.straitstimes

American Teen Narrowly Misses Podium

The bronze medal result sparked controversy from the American perspective. Seventeen-year-old Ollie Martin from Colorado finished fourth with 163.00 points, pushed off the podium after judges awarded Su enough points on his final run despite not landing cleanly.yahoo

Martin, who U.S. Ski & Snowboard confirmed competed with a broken arm, sat in third place before Su’s final attempt. The Colorado high school senior exited the Snow Park with mixed emotions, waving to his family in the audience.nytimes

The level of competition underscored the sport’s rapid progression. At Beijing 2022, Su captured gold with a pair of 1800-degree spins. This time, eight riders had already landed 1980s in qualification alone.news