In the big air final, skiers attempt three jumps, with the two best scores counting toward the final total. Oldham played it safe on her first jump, scoring a solid 85.50. After her main rival, Switzerland’s Mathilde Gremaud, landed a near-perfect triple cork 1440, Oldham knew she needed to raise the stakes.
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On her second jump, she threw the quad cork 1260. The takeoff was clean. The rotations were perfectly centered. The landing was textbook. Judges awarded her 94.75, giving her a commanding lead heading into the final round. Gremaud couldn’t match the score, and Oldham’s third jump was a victory lap — a stylish but lower-difficulty run that brought the crowd to its feet.
The victory continues Canada’s strong tradition in freestyle skiing, which has produced Olympic champions including Alexandre Bilodeau, Mikaël Kingsbury, and Cassie Sharpe. But Oldham’s gold is particularly significant for women’s big air, a discipline that only joined the Olympic program in 2022.
“Megan just raised the bar for the entire sport,” said former Canadian Olympian and analyst Jenn Heil. “That’s not just a gold medal performance — that’s a generational trick.”
Oldham dedicated her victory to her family back in Parry Sound, who watched from the stands in tears. “They’ve sacrificed so much,” she said. “This is for them.”
At 22, Oldham has plenty of competitive years ahead. But for now, she’s content to enjoy the moment. “I’m an Olympic champion,” she said, beaming. “That sounds pretty good.”
