Megan Oldham Wins Big Air Gold, Eileen Gu Takes Silver at Milan Cortina Games

Canada’s Oldham Takes Gold in Women’s Freeski Big Air, Gu Wins Silver

LIVIGNO, Italy – Canada’s Megan Oldham soared to victory in the women’s freeski big air final at the Milan Cortina Games on Monday, February 16, 2026, securing the gold medal. Defending Olympic champion Eileen Gu of China took silver, while Italy’s Flora Tabanelli claimed the bronze.

Oldham topped the 10-woman final with a combined score of 180.75 points from her two best jumps. Gu followed closely behind with a score of 179. Tabanelli’s achievement is particularly notable, coming just four months after she sustained an ACL tear.

This marks the second medal for the 24-year-old Oldham at the current Winter Games, having previously won bronze in slopestyle.

Gu, who competes for China despite being born in the United States, has now amassed five Olympic medals across two Winter Games appearances. She previously made history at the 2022 Games, becoming the first freestyle skier to win three medals in a single Olympics – gold in big air and halfpipe, and silver in slopestyle.

Gu also secured a silver medal in slopestyle at these Games and will have another opportunity to add to her medal count on Saturday when she defends her title in the halfpipe competition. She had not participated in a big air contest since her triumphant performance at the Beijing Games, choosing to focus on other events. However, the similarities between big air and slopestyle allowed her to quickly regain her competitive edge.

Oldham effectively secured the gold medal with her first two jumps, establishing a lead that Gu could not surpass. She then had an inconsequential fall on her final jump, turning it into a celebratory victory lap. The two athletes shared a warm embrace before taking their places on the medal podium.

The final field was initially comprised of 12 competitors, but was reduced to 10 after two Swiss skiers, Mathilde Gremaud and Anouk Andraska, sustained injuries during practice. Gremaud, the defending slopestyle gold medalist, suffered a hip injury and required assistance off the course. Andraska injured her wrist.

In the big air event, skiers perform three jumps, with their final score determined by the combined points from their two best landings, factoring in both the difficulty and execution of the tricks.

The women’s big air final experienced a delay of over an hour due to heavy snowfall, impacting the competition schedule. Despite the conditions, the athletes delivered a thrilling display of skill and athleticism.