Australian Scotty James Makes History With Sikver In The Winter Olympics
Synopsis
Australian snowboarding star Scotty James has secured the silver medal in the men's halfpipe at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. In a high-stakes final that featured a dramatic camera cable failure, James posted a score of 93.50, finishing just behind Japan’s Yuto Totsuka. The result makes James the first Australian to win three Winter Olympic medals. Fellow Australian Valentino Guseli also delivered a strong performance, finishing fifth, while the gold went to Japan after an exceptionally high-quality night of competition.
Australia’s Scotty James has claimed the men’s snowboard halfpipe silver at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games. He once again finished second after an exciting final, just missing the gold medal he had been wanting for so long. Yuto Totsuka of Japan won the gold medal with a high score of 95.00. It’s James’s second straight Olympic silver medal.
- Scotty James earns silver with a top score of 93.50 in the men’s halfpipe final.
- Japan’s Yuto Totsuka takes gold with a high score of 95.00.
- James slips on his last run in pursuit of the top spot.
- Australia’s Valentino Guseli places fifth in a strong field.
- This is James’s second Olympics winning a silver medal at the Beijing 2022 winners.
Scotty James has claimed a silver medal in the men’s snowboard halfpipe final at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics after securing second place in an emotional and tightly fought contest. The Australian rider had entered the event in position to win his first Olympic gold. Instead, he will go home with another silver medal, to go along with the one that he won four years ago in Beijing.
The finals were held at Livigno Snow Park in front of an excited crowd. The pressure was apparent from the outset. Many riders had a hard time putting down clean runs as they attempted tricks that earned them big scores. Japan Riders were solid throughout the event. Ryusei Yamada and Ruka Hirano threw down scores of their own early, setting the tone for the final. Then Yuto Totsuka had himself a colossal second run that was scored 95.00 and vaulted him well into first place.
James’s first run seemed to flow well and stay under control for most of the way down the halfpipe. He landed all four trumps and fell on his fifth trick. The fall contributed to him receiving a score of 48.75, which he graded as poor. Had he not botched the dive, he probably would have scored over 90 and been in contention for a lead. The fall dropped him into a position of having to count on his second run, and the possibility of being joined by other hopefuls notching their third score just then.
In his second try, James answered with calm and focus. He put down a strong, clean run with big tricks and sturdy landings. The judges rewarded him with a score of 93.50, rocketing him to second place. The crowd cheered as his score went up. But Totsuka’s 95.00 remained on top, so James would have to go even bigger in order to take the gold going into his final run.
At the end of the event, a camera cable above the halfpipe snapped and fell toward the spectators. Spectators scrambled to get out of the way as the equipment dropped. Officials later said that the incident did not affect James’s run or influence by judges. It did, however, inject another bit of tense drama into the already dramatic final.
James came in one last time, for his third run, with gold on the line. He had a strong start, but took a tumble at the very end while attempting to execute a challenging trick. The fall effectively ruined his chances of establishing lead position. After the event, James said he felt proud, and emotional. He said he was eager to bring home gold for Australia but also thankful to have earned another Olympic medal. Another Australian, Valentino Guseli was fifth after a big last run. James once more demonstrated he is one of the world’s premier snowboard halfpipe riders.
Follow Inspirepreneur Magazine for the latest Australian news.
At Inspirepreneurs Magazine, covering entrepreneurship, business failures, and the human stories behind the world's most ambitious founders. She writes at the intersection of strategy and storytelling.
You Might Also Like
Peter Freedman and RØDE Microphones—A Symphony of Entrepreneurial Success
European Leaders to Visit US for Talks on Ending Ukraine War
