LIVIGNO, Italy — Japanese snowboarder Kokomo Murase struck gold in the women’s big air event on Monday, following an impressive showing by her teammates who secured the top two spots in the men’s competition just two days earlier. Murase had already secured at least a bronze medal before pulling off a spectacular final jump that propelled her to first place in the standings, enhancing her previous Olympic success by adding to her bronze medal from the 2022 Beijing Games.
New Zealand’s Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, who sought to defend her title, finished with silver after coming close to taking gold, only to be surpassed by Murase’s breathtaking performance in the closing moments of the competition. South Korea’s Seung-eun Yu, an 18-year-old rising star, claimed the bronze medal.
The success of the Japanese snowboarders was highlighted again on Saturday when Kira Kimura and Ryoma Kimata won gold and silver in the men’s big air event, showcasing the nation’s exceptional depth in the sport with four athletes from Japan qualifying for the finals in both competitions—more than any other country.
The Italian Alps may see more podium finishes for Japan, as Murase is set to compete in the snowboarding slopestyle event, while Ayumu Hirano will be aiming to defend his gold medal in the men’s halfpipe.
A notable aspect of the big air final was the increased level of difficulty in the routines, with Murase, Sadowski-Synnott, and Yu all executing challenging jumps that involved 1440 degrees of rotation (three flips combined with a spin).
After the awards ceremony, Sadowski-Synnott received a traditional haka tribute from her teammates, marking her third Olympic medal in big air, having previously won bronze in 2018 at Pyeongchang when she was only 16 years old.
As the competition continues at the Milan Cortina Games, the excitement surrounding snowboarding is palpable, highlighting not only the individual talents of these athletes but also the vibrant spirit of resilience and innovation in the sport.