Source : the age
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Livigno: Josie Baff has won Australia’s second gold medal of the 2026 Winter Olympics with a stunning victory in the women’s snowboard cross final on Friday (local time).
Baff’s victory is Australia’s second gold medal of the Milano Cortina Games, after skier Cooper Woods stunned to win gold in the men’s moguls a day earlier.
Josie Baff wins gold for Australia in teh women’s snowboard cross.Credit: Getty Images
“It’s amazing, I can’t really believe it, I knew I could do it, and I knew deep down that I had what it took,” she told Nine after the medal ceremony.
“I haven’t won in a very long time, and to win here at this event and have one of the world’s most sought-after gold medals around my neck is absolutely incredible, and I wouldn’t change anything for the world. I’m so happy.
“Thanks to all my techs, and my coaches and the team around me, and all of my friends and family here. I truly couldn’t have done it without them, and it hasn’t been easy. I had the flu at the start of the week.
“I actually am just in shock. I’m so happy.”
The last time Australia won two golds at a single Winter Olympics was in 2010 when Torah Bright and Lydia Lassila won gold in Vancouver, and before that, in 2002 when Steven Bradbury and Alisa Camplin won gold in Salt Lake City.
It’s a sensational win for the 23-year-old from Jindabyne, who defeated silver medallist and world No. 7 Eva Adamczykova of Czechia and bronze medallist and world No.4 Michela Moioli of Italy in the final.
The 23-year-old from Jindabyne, who is ranked world No.2, took down some heavyweights on her way to the podium, eliminating world No.1 Charlotte Bankes and No.9 Sina Siegenthaler in the quarter-finals, and world No. 3 Julia Nirani-Pereira in the semi-finals.
“I was definitely playing a bit tactical,” she said of the quarter and semi-finals.
“My starts have been good throughout all the training, and today they weren’t very good. I’m not sure if it was the nerves, and I kind of have heavy legs when I get nervous, so I definitely was struggling a little bit, but it worked out well for me.
“I just knew that I could pass down low – turning is my strong suit. Even though I crashed in the seeding run on…I trusted that I could still do it.”
Australia’s gold medallist Josie Baff.Credit: Getty Images
The daughter of two ski instructors, her father Peter was on the sidelines when she crossed the line for gold in Livigno.
“I’m feeling very, very fulfilled right now. My cup is full,” Peter said.
“It’s sunk in for sure, it’s an incredible feeling, but I’ve always believed in Josie, I believe in all of my children, and I knew she could do it, but with this sport, you never know, and I think it came down to instinct and her own desire and passion.
“And also, I think she really felt the support of our nation, of Australia. She felt all of her friends and family here.”
When Baff crossed the line to win gold, she threw her arms into the air before falling onto the snow.
“Probably a lot of relief,” Baff said of what she was feeling the moment she crossed the line.
“I was super nervous after seeding, especially because it didn’t go how I imagined it was going – it wasn’t on my bingo chart – so I definitely just let everything out. I was already kind of emotional going up into the big final, so to come down and no one was coming next to me over the jump, I was like, ‘holy crap’.”
Baff won Australia’s first Youth Olympics gold in 2020 in Lausanne before making her Olympic debut in Beijing in 2022 where she finished 17th overall.
More to come
The Winter Olympic Games is broadcast on the 9Network, 9Now and Stan Sport.
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