Australian skier Cooper Woods has staged one of the biggest upsets in Winter Olympics history to deliver Australia’s first podium finish at Milano Cortina.
The 25-year-old put on a masterclass to snatch the gold from moguls legend Mikael Kingsbury in the men’s moguls final early Friday morning our time.
Woods produced a score of 83.71, the same number as Kingsbury, but managed to pip the three-time Olympic medallist on a higher turns score.
“It’s something you dream of. Day in, day out, as a kid, through the hard days, through the good days. It’s an absolute journey, and a lot of people don’t get to be in this position,” Woods said.
“But you know what? I’m very proud of the hard work and the sacrifice and the moments that I’ve shared with people around the world and more importantly, my family.
“You know, I don’t spend a lot of time back home in Australia, we don’t have a lot of snow, so it’s not just my medal, it’s a lot of other people’s medal… My family, teammates, friends, staff.
“To be skiing not just for myself, but for a lot of other people, brings a lot of pride.”
Woods is the seventh Australian to ever win a gold medal at an Olympic Winter Games.
