KEY POINTS
- Japan’s Kokomo Murase captured gold in the women’s snowboard big air event at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
- New Zealand’s Zoi Sadowski-Synnott earned silver, while South Korea’s 18-year-old Yu Seung-eun took bronze.
- The event showcased increasingly complex aerial tricks under Livigno’s night lights.
Japan’s Kokomo Murase delivered a standout performance to win gold in the women’s snowboard big air final at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno, Italy.
Murase, 21, upgraded her 2022 bronze to gold with a powerful final run. She impressed judges with a backside triple 1440 — flipping three times while spinning four rotations — helping secure the top score.
The competition unfolded under bright floodlights at Livigno Snow Park, where riders launched off massive jumps to perform advanced flips, spins and twists. Murase’s athletic skills and clean landings distinguished her from the field.
Silver went to New Zealand’s Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, who delivered a strong rebound after a rough first jump and maintained momentum with a solid second effort. Her performance mirrored her podium finish from the previous Winter Games.
South Korea’s 18-year-old Yu Seung-eun earned bronze in her Olympic debut. She successfully landed a challenging trick, revealing her rising talent in big air snowboarding.
Two-time Olympic champion Anna Gasser of Austria entered the contest with expectations but struggled to land her runs cleanly, ultimately finishing outside the top positions.
Athletes were judged on the best two of three runs. Murase’s combination of technical difficulty and polished execution earned her the highest tally and Olympic gold.
The victory continued Japan’s strong showing in big air snowboarding at these Games. Japan had already celebrated a gold-silver finish in the men’s big air event earlier in the competition.
Murase’s gold highlights a new generation of snowboarders pushing the sport’s limits with increasingly sophisticated aerial tricks.
