Under the bright lights and swirling snow of Livigno Air Park, history was made on February 14, 2026, as the first-ever Olympic women’s dual moguls event delivered everything fans could hope for—chaos, drama, and a podium packed with American talent. Utah’s Jaelin Kauf, already decorated with a silver from the single moguls earlier in the Games, added another silver to her collection, while teammate Elizabeth Lemley snagged the bronze. Australia’s Jakara Anthony, the reigning 2022 individual Olympic champion, powered her way to gold, capping off a day where unpredictability reigned supreme.
For Kauf, a 29-year-old University of Utah student and the world’s top-ranked dual moguls skier, the day was a rollercoaster. She entered the competition with high expectations, having already stood on the podium once that week. The event itself, new to the Olympic program, features a head-to-head, single-elimination format—think March Madness on snow—where speed, aerial tricks, and technical turns are all judged, and the margin for error is razor-thin.
The action began with Team USA’s Tess Johnson and Olivia Giaccio fighting their way through the 1/16 finals. Johnson, facing Canada’s Laurianne Desmarais-Gilbert, battled through heavy snowfall and advanced with a score of 22. Giaccio, cheered on by a raucous American crowd, breezed into the next round after her opponent failed to finish. Meanwhile, Kauf and Lemley, thanks to their high rankings, enjoyed byes into the 1/8 finals, giving them a bit of extra rest before the real fireworks began.
Kauf’s first run wasn’t flawless—she stumbled slightly out of the gates. But with poise and power, she recovered, scoring 29 out of a possible 35 points and advancing with ease. The crowd, waving “J” signs and chanting her name, roared their approval. In the quarterfinals, Kauf’s opponent fell across the course’s center line, allowing her a relatively easy path to the semifinals.
Things got wild in the semis. Facing France’s Perrine Laffont, both skiers crashed in a flurry of snow and skis. Laffont, in a desperate attempt to regain her balance after a tricky landing, ended up skiing around the wrong side of a gate—a technical disqualification. Kauf, quick to her feet, managed to complete her run and advanced to the gold medal race. “I just didn’t want to let off,” Kauf later told reporters. “And next thing you know, [things] exploded, and had to just pick myself up and try to get back to it as soon as possible.”
On the other side of the bracket, Lemley’s semifinal against Anthony ended in dramatic fashion. Lemley lost a ski on her second jump and slid down the hill on her stomach, giving Anthony a clear path to the finish. That sent Lemley into the bronze medal race against Laffont. Despite trailing by nearly a second, Lemley threw a more complex trick off the final ramp, and the judges rewarded her risk-taking. The final score: 18-17 in Lemley’s favor. Her mouth dropped in disbelief as the result was announced, while Laffont was left fuming. “We’re doing a sport where skiing counts for 60% of the score. It’s hard to do a judged sport in moments like this,” Laffont said.
Lemley, just 20 years old, had already won gold in the individual moguls earlier in the week, becoming the first American woman to top the moguls podium since Hannah Kearney’s 2010 triumph. “I definitely had a few mistakes,” Lemley admitted. “It was not a perfect run. I was definitely a little frazzled at the top but I trust my skiing and trust my air.”
Back at the top for the gold medal showdown, Kauf squared off against Anthony. The run started with promise, but midway down the course, a minor bobble caused Kauf’s left ski to slip momentarily. Anthony, seizing the opportunity, surged ahead and captured both the style and time points. The judges awarded Anthony a 20-15 victory. “Every competitor out here is going for gold,” Kauf reflected. “But to walk away with the first-ever silver medal from dual moguls at the Olympics is pretty special. And ‘three-time Olympic medallist’ isn’t bad either.”
Kauf’s silver marked her third Olympic medal, all of them silver—a streak that began in Beijing 2022 and continued with her impressive consistency in Milan Cortina. The American moguls program, long overshadowed by European and Australian rivals, has now seen a resurgence, with Kauf and Lemley sharing the podium twice in the same week. Lemley’s earlier gold in the individual event was the first for a U.S. woman in moguls since Kearney’s era, and her bronze in dual moguls cemented her status as one of the sport’s brightest young stars.
The dual moguls event itself was a hit with athletes and fans alike. “Dual moguls breeds excitement and chaos. Anything can happen,” said Tess Johnson, who advanced to the quarterfinals before falling to Laffont. Olivia Giaccio echoed the sentiment after her own quarterfinal exit at the hands of Anthony: “That’s dual moguls for sure. Like, you never know what can happen and it’s often pretty crazy. That’s why it’s so fun to watch as a spectator.”
Canadian skier Jessica Linton summed up the sport’s appeal: “It makes the sport so much more accessible to the everyday person who doesn’t fully understand every [element] of moguls skiing. It’s a little easier to watch, it’s easier to see, ‘Okay, that one’s faster, this one’s cleaner.’ I’m really hoping it’s gonna make moguls skiing a lot more popular because it’s an awesome sport and duals is crazy. Anything can happen.”
For Team USA, the 2026 Milan Cortina Games have already been a showcase for their freestyle skiing prowess. With two medals each for Kauf and Lemley, and strong showings from Johnson and Giaccio, the future looks bright. The dual moguls’ Olympic debut has not only delivered unforgettable moments but also signaled a new era for the sport—one where American women are once again a force to be reckoned with.
As the snow settles in Livigno and the athletes savor their hard-earned medals, fans and competitors alike are left buzzing. Dual moguls has truly arrived on the Olympic stage, and if this year’s debut is any indication, it’s here to stay.