Australia's Winter Olympic Title Defence Drought Continues with Moguls Heartbreak
Australia's long wait for a Winter Olympian to successfully defend their championship crown continues after moguls superstar Jakara Anthony suffered a sensational final-round collapse at the Milan-Cortina Games. The Beijing gold medallist, who entered as the overwhelming favourite to secure back-to-back titles and deliver Australia's first medal in Italy, instead became the nation's fifth Olympic champion unable to win successive championships.
From Dominance to Devastation in Livigno
Anthony appeared destined for gold during the early rounds, delivering what commentators described as a moguls masterclass in the first final. Her score of 83.96 points placed her more than three points clear of her nearest competitor, establishing what seemed an unassailable lead. However, in the crucial eight-skier super final, the Victorian skier skidded off midway down the challenging Livigno course.
While Anthony managed to complete her run, the damage was done. Judges awarded her just 60.81 points, relegating her to last place in the super final. Her Australian teammate Charlotte Wilson finished sixth with 75.17 points as the United States celebrated a surprising one-two finish.
American Upset and Australian Reflection
The competition saw American skier Liz Lemley claim gold with a top score of 82.30 points, while teammate Jaelin Kauf took silver with 80.77 points. French 2018 Olympic champion Perrine Laffont secured the bronze medal position.
"I'm bummed, obviously," said the 27-year-old Anthony, who appeared shell-shocked at the bottom of the course while her rivals celebrated. "I'm really proud of the skiing that I was able to do on the course and I think I was skiing and jumping at such a high level. I think I really had what it took to take that top step, showed that in the first couple of rounds, but yeah, I just didn't put it down on that last one when it counted."
The world number one skier expressed particular disappointment at not being able to showcase her full capabilities. "I had more to give ... so I was just pretty bummed mostly that I didn't get to show everyone what I could do in there." Anthony admitted she wasn't immediately certain what caused her stumble, suggesting she would need to review video footage to understand the technical error.
Teammate Support and Future Opportunities
Wilson, who made an impressive recovery after a nervous start in qualifying, expressed both pride in her own performance and disappointment for her senior teammate. "I'm super bummed for her, but as a team we win together, we lose together," said the Jindabyne youngster. "In another few days she'll be back at it, fighting for another gold. I'm sure she will be upset, but I'm proud of her, our team and our country is proud of her no matter what."
Both skiers will have another opportunity to medal with the dual moguls event added to the Olympic program. This competition format features skiers racing head-to-head against each other, with winners advancing and losers eliminated.
Anthony acknowledged the quick turnaround as a positive. "It's kind of nice that we've got the dual moguls. I've been saying it's not four years to wait 'til the next opportunity it's only three days, so definitely looking forward to that, but I'm sure there'll be a few girls out there looking for redemption." She indicated the team would make technical adjustments for the different demands of dual moguls competition, which places greater emphasis on speed.
The result extends Australia's Winter Olympic title defence drought, with Anthony joining a list of Australian champions who have been unable to secure consecutive gold medals. The focus now shifts to the dual moguls competition where both Australian skiers will seek redemption on the world's biggest winter sports stage.
