Australian snowboarding star Scotty James delivered another performance for the ages at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, but his quest for that elusive gold medal continues after a dramatic and emotional night in Livigno. The men’s snowboard halfpipe final, held under the floodlights at the Livigno Sports Park on February 13, saw James battle through highs and lows, ultimately securing a silver medal in one of the most fiercely contested finals in Olympic history.
Entering his fifth Olympic Games, James was already Australia’s most decorated winter athlete, boasting a bronze from PyeongChang 2018 and a silver from Beijing 2022. The 31-year-old world champion arrived in Italy with a clear goal: to finally complete his Olympic medal collection with gold. He was the top qualifier and reigning X Games champion, and just last month, he became the first rider ever to land a switch backside 1440 and a backside 1440 back-to-back. The stage seemed set for a golden moment.
Yet, as so often happens in sport, the story took an unexpected turn. The final featured some of the sport’s brightest stars, with Japan’s Yuto Totsuka and Ryusei Yamada, as well as James’ long-time rival Ayumu Hirano, who was competing despite a knee injury and a fractured hip. The crowd packed into Livigno Sports Park, buzzing with anticipation as athletes pushed the boundaries of what’s possible on a snowboard.
James’ night began with a stumble, literally, as he fell on the final hit of his first run, scoring just 48.75. But true to his reputation for resilience, he rebounded spectacularly in his second run. Landing a sequence that included his historic switch backside 1440 directly into a backside 1440—a combination no one else had ever completed—he posted an impressive 93.50. That score vaulted him into second place, locking in at least a silver medal and setting up a tense final round.
Meanwhile, Yuto Totsuka of Japan was in inspired form. The world number one soared to a 95.00 on his second run, executing gravity-defying tricks with remarkable precision. Ryusei Yamada, also of Japan, claimed bronze with a score of 92.00, while Australia’s Valentino Guseli, just 20 years old and returning from a ruptured ACL, finished fifth after landing his final run for a score of 88.00. Guseli showed his trademark candor after the event, saying, “Well, on the first two runs I sucked, but I landed my last one and I got one place better than I did in the last Olympics, so we’re going up, which is cool.”
With the gold still within reach, James faced a critical decision for his third and final run. He could have tried to improve the execution of his second run, but instead, he opted to attempt a backside double-cork 1620—a trick he had never landed in competition. It was a bold move, the kind that defines champions, but this time it didn’t pay off. James crashed on the landing, his hands over his head in disbelief, and the gold slipped away.
After the event, James was visibly emotional, shedding tears as he was comforted by Australian canoe great Jessica Fox during the medal ceremony. Reflecting on the bittersweet result, he told Olympics.com, “It’s a bit bittersweet. I obviously had something I wanted to accomplish and wasn’t able to do it, but respect to Yuto, he’s an amazing rider, we’ve always had really good competitions and battles with him, and it was amazing to be a part of it.”
James also spoke candidly about his mindset and the decision to go for the ambitious trick on his final run. “Potentially I could have done it with a 14, but for myself, I had to do the 16,” he explained. “I wanted to push it, and that’s what I was here to do, regardless of the result. I think my first run, if I landed that, I think the medal would have been a different colour. The last run was kind of for me, but yeah, it’s hard to look at it like that because I can’t change the result, but yeah, it is what it is.”
Despite the disappointment, James was quick to express pride in his performance and his role in pushing the sport forward. “At this level it gets harder and harder every year and I’ve enjoyed spearheading it in the direction that I love and being a part of it,” he said. “The sport has progressed heaps since Beijing, the tricks are crazy now with the 1400s, 1600s, triple corks and alley-oops, it’s getting out of hand. The progression has been nuts.”
James’ willingness to risk it all for progression was not lost on fans or fellow competitors. His commitment to innovation was evident not only in his runs but also in his approach to competition. “I can go to sleep tonight knowing that I tried my best. I did leave it all out there and that’s all you can really do as an athlete or as a person in general so to do that tonight, I can live with that,” he reflected.
The final was also notable for the presence of Ayumu Hirano, the Beijing 2022 halfpipe champion, who finished seventh despite battling significant injuries. James paid tribute to his rival, saying, “Ayumu’s a warrior, he battles hard and huge respect to him, one of my favourite snowboarders ever. I knew he was in a tough position physically, so it was amazing to watch him ride and get back up and keep on fighting.”
James’ silver capped a historic day for Australia at Milano Cortina 2026, coming just hours after Josie Baff clinched gold in the snowboard cross. It marked the nation’s most successful single day in Winter Olympic history and further cemented James’ legacy as a trailblazer for Australian winter sports.
As the dust settles on a memorable night in Livigno, Scotty James stands as a symbol of ambition, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of greatness. The gold may have slipped through his fingers once again, but his impact on snowboarding—and Australian sport—has never been more profound. For now, the wait for Olympic gold continues, but James’ place among the legends of winter sport is secure, and the promise of more breathtaking moments remains very much alive.