Ferreira Finally Grabs Olympic Gold in Halfpipe
At the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan‑Cortina, American skier Alex Ferreira reached a major career milestone by winning gold in the men’s freestyle skiing halfpipe event. After previously taking silver in 2018 and bronze in 2022, Ferreira delivered a near‑perfect final run, scoring 93.75 points to top the podium at Livigno Snow Park.
Estonia’s Henry Sildaru captured silver with 93.00, marking a breakthrough for his country, while Canada’s Brendan Mackay took bronze with 91.00 points. Ferreira’s victory completes his Olympic medal set and highlights his growth over three Games.
China’s Wang Xindi Soars to Aerials Gold
Another standout moment came in the men’s freestyle skiing aerials, where Wang Xindi of China claimed gold with an impressive 132.60 score in Livigno’s super final. He narrowly outscored Swiss star Noé Roth, who took silver, with fellow Chinese athlete Li Tianma earning bronze.
Wang’s win adds to China’s strength in aerials and follows closely on the heels of his wife Xu Mengtao, who earlier defended her women’s aerials title. Their dual success makes them one of the rare married couples in Olympic history to both win gold at the same Games.
Ski Cross and Halfpipe Finals Round Out Action
On the same day, Germany’s Daniela Maier took gold in the women’s ski cross, with Switzerland’s Fanny Smith and Sweden’s Sandra Näslund joining the podium. This marked another strong performance in freestyle skiing that keeps fans on edge.
Meanwhile, stars like Eileen Gu were gearing up for the women’s halfpipe final, putting pressure on rivals as she seeks to add to her Olympic medal tally.
What This Means for the Sport
Freestyle skiing at the 2026 Games has delivered a mix of long‑awaited triumph, rising young talent, and historic performances. Ferreira’s gold is not just another medal for the U.S. but a testament to years of persistence and evolution in one of the sport’s premier events.
China’s aerials dominance continues, reflecting the country’s growing investment and depth in this discipline. The King and Queen of Aerials duo — Wang and Xu — have shown that elite training and support can produce consistent top‑tier results.
The crowd‑pleasing ski cross and halfpipe events have helped bring freestyle into the spotlight at these Olympics, adding momentum to what has already been an unpredictable, thrilling Winter Games.
What to Watch Next
With more freestyle finals still to come, including the women’s halfpipe and mixed team aerials, fans can expect more high‑fly excitement before the Games conclude. Stay tuned for updates as the world’s best skiers push the limits of style, speed and athleticism at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
