Snow Australia makes history at 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic Games

As the Winter Olympic Games come to a stunning close, Snow Australia wishes to reflect on the history making efforts of Australia’s most successful Winter Olympic Team.

“Australia’s performance at Milano-Cortina marked a defining moment for our nation’s winter sport program,” Kennedy said.

“Snow Australia athletes comprised 41 of the 54 athletes on the Australian team, delivering three gold, two silver and one bronze medal - the country’s strongest Winter Olympic return on record.

“The result reflects a program that is no longer emerging but consistently converting on the world stage,” he said.

When placed alongside the last three Summer Olympic Games, the significance sharpens further. 

Snow Australia’s three gold medals in Milan equal the largest single-Games gold return achieved by any Australian sport (other than swimming) across Rio, Tokyo and Paris. 

“The six medals secured by Snow Australia athletes demonstrate growing system depth and position the winter program firmly alongside Australia’s leading high-performance sports,” Kennedy said. 

“Importantly, Snow Australia athletes recorded 20 of Australia’s 22 top-10 finishes, reflecting the depth now emerging right across the winter system

“Taken together, the evidence is compelling. While swimming continues to anchor Australia’s Olympic success, the Milano-Cortina results confirm that Australian snow sports now sit comfortably in the nation’s top tier, combining gold medal impact with increasing podium depth.

“This success has been built on a deeply integrated winter high performance sector, where Snow Australia works in lockstep with the Australian Institute of Sport, Olympic Winter Institute of Australia, State Institutes and Academies of Sport, and key resort partners to optimise the pathway from participation to podium.

“On behalf of everyone at Snow Australia, congratulations to our whole team that represented Australia in Milano-Cortina, and thank you for your continued efforts in putting winter sports on the map down under,” he said.

“The Team of 2026 will never be forgotten for humbly rewriting the history books,” Australian Winter Olympic Team Chef de Mission Alisa Camplin said.   

“They have lifted the baseline and set a new standard for what's possible when everyone unites and works together as one – our member sports, the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia, the Australian Sports Commission, the State Institutes of Sport, Victorian and NSW Ski Resorts, State Government, Anika Wells, Minister for Sport and the Federal Government. 

“These athletes have been sensational role models, providing lessons for all of us. They've shown that you become a better person through taking on life, pushing boundaries and being fearless in the face of both challenge and opportunity.” 

Among the history makers, Cooper Woods became Australia’s seventh Winter Olympic Champion with three flawless runs to win the single Moguls – Australia’s first medal of the Games.  

Jakara Anthony became the only Winter Olympian to win a second gold medal and the first women’s Dual Moguls Champion.  

Matt Graham joined the elite club of eight who have won two or more Winter Olympic medals with bronze. His “dad podium” in the Men’s Dual Moguls was one of the most heartwarming moments of the Games.  

Half of Australia’s medals were won by Mogul Skiers – a testament to the high performance program run by Snow Australia and the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia and the NSW Institute of Sport.  

Snowboarder Josie Baff became Australia’s eighth Winter Olympic Champion, beating two Olympic Champions in the final.  

Scotty James became the first Australian Winter Olympian to win three individual medals with silver in men’s Snowboard Halfpipe.  

Danielle Scott became the fourth Australian Aerial Skier to win a medal – a redemption run at her fourth Games.  

Friday the 13th was Australia’s lucky day – the most successful day in Winter Olympic history with gold to Josie Baff and silver to Scotty James.  

In cross-country skiing, both the men’s team sprint and women’s relay finished 14th, also equalling Australia’s best Olympic results in the discipline and signalling continued progress in the pathway.

Australia finished 14th in the men’s Cross-Country Team Sprint with Hugo Hinckfuss and Lars Young Vik– Australia’s highest finish ever. Phoebe Cridland, Rosie Fordham, Ellen Soehol Lie and Maddie Hooker lined up to represent Australia in the women’s 4 x 7.5km relay for the first time.  

Alpine Skier Madi Hoffman finished 23rd in Slalom – the best performance since Zali Steggall, with Phoebe Heaydon and Harry Laidlaw (Giant Slalom) also progressing through the field from their start positions.  

Laidlaw’s 29th place in the men’s giant slalom equalled Australia’s best-ever Olympic result in that event, matching Malcolm Milne’s landmark performance at Sapporo 1972. 

With 32 Australians on debut, including five teenagers, the future looks bright for Australian winter sport. 

“We believed in each other, and now, with all of Australia truly believing in Australian Winter Olympic sport, I can’t imagine what is possible - as we build towards 2030 and descend on the French Alps in four years’ time,” Camplin said.