Graham strikes post-Olympics gold

Two-time Olympic medallist Matt Graham has won the first World Cup moguls event since the Milano–Cortina Olympic Winter Games, claiming gold at the Japanese resort of Nanto‑Toyama for the sixth World Cup victory of his career.

In warm, soft snow conditions with rain falling, Graham – a New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder – qualified for the finals in fourth place with a score of 73.79. He improved in the opening finals round, posting 75.52 points to finish fifth and secure a place in the top-six super final.

Graham delivered his strongest run of the day in the super final, posting the highest score of the competition with 78.42 points to take victory. He finished ahead of American Landon Wendler by 0.21 points, with Japan’s Ikuma Horishima claiming bronze on 75.63 points.

The win moves Graham to 345 points on the World Cup standings, closing the gap to only 11 points behind Horishima with one single moguls event remaining. The final competition of the discipline will take place in Azerbaijan on March 14.

Dual Olympic gold medallist Jakara Anthony (NSWIS) also competed in the event, qualifying for the finals in second place. However, a mistake on the bottom jump in the finals saw her finish in 13th position.

Anthony remains at the top of the women’s World Cup standings on 360 points, tied with American Olivia Giaccio, who claimed victory in today’s event.

Milano–Cortina Olympic Champion Cooper Woods (NSWIS) is not competing in the final two World Cup events, in line with his plan to return home after the Olympic Games.

“It was really just a battle against ourselves and the mountain today, it was challenging and obviously with the weather, the snow was really soft and slushy, so it made it unpredictable and catchy,” said the 31-year-old Graham from the NSW Central Coast.

“I got a little caught up in my landing in the first round of finals, and I was thankful to get through and have another chance. I knew what I had to do, just needed to tidy everything up and land my jumps well, and happy with the way I did that.

“I am happy to be fighting for the World Cup title with Ikuma, he is such a great skier, and everybody knows how good he is, it’s a privilege to be up there fighting with him.”

Graham and Anthony return to competition tomorrow at the Japanese resort for the dual moguls event, aiming to build on their success at the recent Milano–Cortina Olympic Winter Games, where Anthony won gold and Graham bronze.

OWIA