China’s Su Yiming won gold in men’s snowboard slopestyle at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, securing the first gold for Team China on his 22nd birthday.
China’s Su Yiming captured gold in the men’s snowboard slopestyle final at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, delivering the first gold medal for Team China at these Games on his 22nd birthday.
Su sealed victory with his opening run, scoring 82.41 points. Meanwhile, Japan’s Hasegawa Taiga earned silver with 82.13 points, while Team USA’s Jake Canter claimed bronze with 79.36 at Livigno Snow Park.
Mindset and Reflections
Unlike four years ago in Beijing, Su arrived in Italy with a different mindset. “Before, I was just a young challenger,” he said after the final. “I only wanted to land my best tricks. Today, I carry more responsibility — representing Chinese winter sports and showing the results of my four years of work.”
Winning gold on his birthday made the achievement even more meaningful. “This is a dream come true,” Su said. He explained that he focused on enjoying the competition and blocking out pressure. “I left all the pressure behind and concentrated only on my riding.”
Throughout the week, Su managed his emotions carefully and adjusted his plans after the Big Air event. “Today, everything came together. All the goals I set were achieved,” he added.
“This means everything to me,” Su told Olympics.com. “To compete on the biggest stage with the best riders in the world, represent Team China, and win gold after four years — that means everything.” He noted that he had won Big Air gold at Beijing 2022 and later added a bronze in the same event at Milano Cortina 2026. “I can’t imagine a better birthday gift. This dream has come true.”
Written by Ronnie Yu.
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