China’s Su Yiming wins Olympic slopestyle gold on 22nd birthday

China’s Su Yiming Wins Snowboard Slopestyle Gold on His Birthday

Su Yiming of China celebrated his 22nd birthday in golden fashion on Wednesday, winning the men’s snowboard slopestyle final at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics to give his country its first gold medal of the Games.rfi

Competing under clear skies at Livigno Snow Park, Su posted a score of 82.41 on his first of three runs, setting a mark that none of his rivals could surpass. Japan’s Taiga Hasegawa claimed silver with 82.13 points, finishing just 0.28 behind the champion, while American Jake Canter earned bronze with 79.36 on his final run.sfchronicle

A Comeback Victory

The gold medal represents a redemption for Su, who had entered these Games as the defending big air champion from Beijing 2022 but finished with bronze in that event last week after Japan’s Kira Kimura seized the title. Wednesday’s victory brings Su’s career Olympic medal count to four across two Winter Games.people

“I’m just really proud of myself to deal with such big pressure and still be able to land my tricks,” Su said after his bronze medal performance earlier in the Games.people

Su, a former child actor who has become one of snowboarding’s most decorated competitors, appeared emotional after his third and final run, shedding tears while watching his rivals attempt to catch him from the bottom of the course. None succeeded—several crashed or fell short with their scores.espn

Canter’s Stunning Rise

The bronze medal marked a remarkable turnaround for Canter, who sat in 10th place heading into his final run. The 22-year-old first-time Olympian added extra rotations to his jumps and delivered a performance worthy of the podium, then anxiously watched as Canada’s Mark McMorris crashed hard on his last jump and Norway’s Marcus Kleveland scored only 78.86.foxnews

Canter’s medal comes a decade after a trampoline accident nearly killed him and left him deaf in his right ear. He became the first American to medal in the event since Red Gerard won gold in 2018. Gerard finished sixth on Wednesday.heavy

McMorris Falls Short

McMorris, the three-time consecutive Olympic slopestyle bronze medalist, finished eighth in his return from a concussion sustained during a training crash on February 4. The Canadian snowboarder had been stretchered off the course and missed the big air competition entirely before being cleared to compete just days ago.nbcolympics

The slopestyle course at Livigno featured three rail elements and three jumps, with judges scoring riders on creativity, execution, and their routine as a whole. Only the best of three runs counted toward final standings.sfchronicle