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Japan's Yuto Totsuka in action during the final third run of Men's Snowboard Halfpipe competition of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina. David Davies/PA Wire/dpa
Japan's Yuto Totsuka had a stunning second run to claim men's snowboarding halfpipe gold on Friday at the Milan/Cortina Winter Games.
The World Cup leader fell in his third and final run, but that didn't matter because the 95 points from his previous effort secured him his maiden Olympic medal.
His performance is the fourth highest score Winter Olympics history. The record of 95.75 belongs to snowboarding legend Shaun White when he won his third gold at Pyeongchang 2018.
"I had to bring out my originality in all the different tricks that I did. I also think it's because of the amplitude that I was able to do so well," the Japanese said.
Australia's Scotty James was trying to improve his result from the 2022 Beijing Games but had again to settle for silver after he lost balance when landing his final trick and failed to improve his score of 93.50.
"The last run I went for a back 1620 on the last hit, and that would have been the run, I think, to do it (win gold). But unfortunately it didn't make it," he said.
"I was a man on a mission for sure. It was such a crazy final to be a part of. I obviously had an intention to put a bit of a better run together, but it became unstuck. But that's competition. I was really happy to be a part of it."
Japan's 19-year-old Yamada Ryusei took the bronze medal in his first Olympic Games.
"It was truly one of my dreams (to compete at the Olympics), so achieving such an incredible result at the Olympics was the best part," he said.
The 2022 gold medallist Hirano Ayumu, also from Japan, was far from the podium in seventh.
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Japan's gold medallist Yuto Totsuka celebrates victory after the Men's Snowboard Halfpipe competition of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina. David Davies/PA Wire/dpa
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