LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — A generation ago, the sight of an Olympic halfpipe podium drenched in red, white and blue was as common as fresh powder on the mountain — a fitting and expected celebration for a sport born and raised in the United States.

LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — That ever-growing bench of Japanese snowboarders runs deep. Jumps very high, too. The country that has steadily been asserting mastery over the halfpipe took that show to the Winter Olympics big air contest Saturday night,

Kokomo Murase completed a golden snowboard Big Air Olympic double for Japan on Monday, after Kira Kimura had won the men's competition on the weekend. X Games champion Murase clinched the gold four years after bronze on her final jump with 179.

Ilia Malinin's competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics better be ready for the free skate because he's one punch away from landing the knockout blow.