2025/26 Season Review Part II: The Olympic moments that defined the winter

Before the FIS Freestyle World Cup season reached its conclusion, the sport's biggest stars had one final stage to conquer. At the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, Moguls and Aerials once again took center stage, delivering unforgettable performances and some of the defining moments of the entire winter.

The freestyle skiing events in Livigno had everything fans could have hoped for. Historic firsts, emotional comeback stories, legendary performances and breakthrough stars combined across eleven unforgettable days at Livigno Aerials & Moguls Park.

Milano Cortina 2026 also marked a landmark moment for the sport. For the first time in Olympic history, Dual Moguls joined the Olympic programme, bringing one of freestyle skiing's most spectacular and fan-favourite formats to the world's biggest winter sports stage. Together with the traditional Moguls and Aerials events, it highlighted the continued growth and evolution of freestyle skiing on the Olympic stage.

From Mikael Kingsbury's final Olympic masterpiece and Australia's remarkable success in moguls to China's aerials dominance and Elizabeth Lemley's stunning breakthrough, the Games produced no shortage of unforgettable storylines.

In the second installment of our three-part season review series, we revisit the performances, athletes and moments that made Milano Cortina 2026 such a memorable Olympic celebration for freestyle skiing.

Missed Part I? Catch up with our review of the biggest talking points from the 2025/26 FIS Freestyle World Cup season HERE.

Dual Moguls arrives on the Olympic stage

One of the biggest stories of the Games came before a medal had even been awarded. After years of discussion, Dual Moguls finally made its Olympic debut, bringing head-to-head racing to the Games for the first time.

The format immediately proved why athletes and fans had pushed so hard for its inclusion. Dramatic battles, close finishes and unpredictable outcomes created some of the most exciting moments of the entire freestyle skiing programme.

And fittingly, the first-ever Olympic champions were two of the discipline's biggest stars: Mikael Kingsbury and Jakara Anthony.

Kingsbury signs off in style

Few athletes have shaped a sport like Mikael Kingsbury has shaped moguls skiing.

Competing at his fourth and final Olympic Games, the Canadian legend once again delivered when it mattered most. After narrowly missing out on singles gold, Kingsbury returned in Dual Moguls to claim the first Olympic title ever awarded in the discipline, adding yet another achievement to an already unmatched career.

The victory secured his fifth Olympic medal, making him the most decorated freestyle skier in Olympic history and completing a collection that includes every major title the sport has to offer.

The celebrations became even more special when Kingsbury shared the podium with fellow fathers Ikuma Horishima and Matt Graham in what quickly became known as the "Dad Podium" — one of the most memorable images of the Games.

Australia's unforgettable Games

Coming into Milano Cortina 2026, few would have predicted that Australia would leave Livigno as one of the most successful nations in moguls skiing.

Cooper Woods delivered the performance of his life to win men's moguls gold, edging Kingsbury in one of the closest contests of the Games. It was a stunning breakthrough for an athlete who entered the Olympics with just a single World Cup podium to his name.

Jakara Anthony's journey was equally remarkable. After heartbreak in the singles event, where she entered the final as one of the favourites but finished outside the medals, the Australian bounced back to capture Dual Moguls gold and cement her place among the sport's great champions.

Matt Graham completed Australia's medal haul with bronze in men's Dual Moguls, ensuring the nation enjoyed one of the most successful freestyle skiing campaigns in its Olympic history.

Elizabeth Lemley announces herself

Every Olympic Games produces a breakout star, and in Livigno that athlete was Elizabeth Lemley.

Less than a year after suffering a serious ACL injury, the American completed one of the most impressive comeback stories of the Games by winning women's moguls gold at just 20 years old.

She followed that achievement with bronze in the inaugural Dual Moguls event, leaving Italy with two Olympic medals from her first Games appearance.

Alongside teammate Jaelin Kauf, who collected silver medals in both Moguls and Dual Moguls, Lemley helped lead a hugely successful Games for the United States. The American squad once again demonstrated its remarkable depth, placing multiple athletes in contention throughout the moguls programme and reinforcing its position among the sport's leading nations.

China owns the skies

If moguls belonged to several nations, aerials once again highlighted China's incredible strength and depth.

The headline story came from Xu Mengtao, who became the first aerialist in Olympic history to successfully defend an Olympic gold medal. At 35 years old, the Chinese star once again proved why she is widely regarded as one of the greatest aerialists of all time.

Two days later, her husband Wang Xindi completed a remarkable family double by capturing men's aerials gold. The married couple's achievement instantly became one of the defining stories of the Games.

China's depth was evident throughout the aerials programme, with the nation collecting five medals across the individual and team events and once again setting the benchmark for the rest of the world.

USA remains the team aerials benchmark

While China dominated the individual aerials competitions, the Mixed Team event once again belonged to the United States.

Kaila Kuhn, Connor Curran and Christopher Lillis successfully defended the Olympic title won in Beijing four years earlier, delivering under pressure to secure another gold medal for Team USA.

The victory further established the Americans as the standard-bearers in team aerials competition and highlighted the growing depth of the nation's programme.

A Games to remember

Milano Cortina 2026 showcased freestyle skiing at its very best.

Dual Moguls successfully joined the Olympic programme. Legends such as Mikael Kingsbury and Xu Mengtao continued to build on their extraordinary legacies. New stars like Elizabeth Lemley and Cooper Woods announced themselves on the biggest stage. And athletes across Moguls and Aerials pushed the limits of performance in front of a global audience.

If the Games marked the end of one era, they also provided a glimpse into an exciting future for freestyle skiing. The road to the next Olympic Winter Games at Alpes 2030 has already begun, with a new generation ready to challenge the sport's established stars and write the next chapter of Olympic history. After everything Milano Cortina delivered, the countdown to the French Alps is already well underway.