Australian snowboarder Valentino Guseli has missed out on a medal in the men's big air final at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, finishing 10th after struggling with landings. The 20-year-old, who qualified for the final in dramatic fashion after replacing an injured competitor, was unable to replicate his earlier success in the high-pressure event on Saturday night in Livigno.
Guseli scored 23.0 after a fall on his first jump but recovered with an 86.75 on his second, executing a switch backside 1980 tail grab. However, he fell again on his final run, scoring 16.50. Japan's Kira Kimura won gold with 179.50 points, followed by Ryoma Kimata (171.50) and China's Su Yiming.
Despite the result, Guseli expressed no regrets. 'I couldn't have tried harder or wanted it more,' he said. 'I left it all out there.' He noted personal victories, including landing a trick for the first time since an ACL injury in late 2024. Guseli now turns his attention to the men's halfpipe, where he is considered a strong medal contender alongside teammate Scotty James.
In other Australian news, aerial skier Laura Peel is attempting to compete despite a significant knee injury suffered in training. Meanwhile, Alex Ferlazzo improved to 19th in men's luge after two rounds, and Rosie Fordham led Australian women in the skiathlon in 49th place.
