‘Even more special’: Jakara Anthony dusts off Winter Olympics heartbreak for historic triumph
Jakara Anthony has rediscovered her Midas touch, after the world No 1 moguls skier dusted off brutal “heartbreak” at Milano Cortina to climb back to the top dais at the Winter Games.The Australian has known little but success since claiming an Olympic gold medal four years ago, setting a national record for World Cup skiing victories as she twisted and turned to the top of the sport.But the team’s co-flag bearer had to learn a crushing lesson in overcoming adversity after an uncharacteristic slide off course cost her a medal in the single moguls event.There were tears, meetings with sport psychologists and heartfelt conversations with family, friends, coaches and teammates.Less than three days later, Anthony has a smile back on her face and a gold medal around her neck after winning the first Olympic women’s dual moguls event.
“To be honest, I was doubting myself a bit this morning after what happened the other day,” the three-time Olympian said after her triumph in Livigno.“That was really heartbreaking, the singles.I came in here with such a great chance of taking home that top step, but elite sport, you know, it’s hundredths of a second, and one little mistake, and it was all over.“To be able to turn that around, with the help of my support crew around me, has been a pretty massive feat, I think, and makes this medal even more special.”Anthony arrived at Milano Cortina with gold on her mind and a slice of history in her sight.
None of Australia’s previous six Winter Olympics gold medallists had defended their title at the following Games.The 27-year-old was the favourite to do just that after winning the single moguls in Beijing.She set the standard with top scores during the early rounds in Livigno until paying the heaviest of prices for a slip-up in the winner-takes-all medal round.Amid the devastation of a rare mistake at the worst possible time, a shot at redemption was just around the corner, with dual moguls added to the Olympic schedule for the first time.The head-to-head ski-off has been part of the World Cup circuit for decades, but far from Anthony’s focus as injury and cancellations meant she had only competed in the event once in “about two-and-a-half years” heading into these Games.
“There was a lot of tears, a lot of conversations,” Anthony said about how she turned devastation into glory inside 72 hours.“And then we got back out on the course, had some training and refocused, worked out what I needed to do for duals, what I needed to do on a different course and how we were going to approach it and just trying to really focus on those parts and take each run as they came.”Anthony swept through the initial rounds of the dual moguls event on Saturday, before the judges viewed her quarter-final against American Olivia Giaccio as a much closer call than it had seemed while the pair made their way down the course.The Australian made a huge statement in beating single moguls gold medallist Elizabeth Lemley in the semi-final, then accounted for a third American in as many runs with a win over single moguls silver medallist Jaelin Kauf in the final.She might have missed out on becoming the first snow sports athlete in green and gold to win back-to-back Olympic titles.
But Anthony has instead etched her name in the record books as Australia’s first two-time winter gold medallist, as well as the first to win the women’s dual moguls Olympic event.Anthony’s victory was also Australia’s third in four days, making this the country’s most successful Winter Games with a week of competition still to come.Gold medals for Cooper Woods in the men’s moguls and Josie Baff in snowboard cross have been pleasant surprises to help ease the pain of veteran Scotty James’s bittersweet second silver in the halfpipe, as well as Anthony’s shock eighth place finish in the single moguls final.“First Olympic gold medal in Beijing, that was mind-blowing,” Anthony said.“This is mind-blowing as well.
”“To have my friends and family here for it, to be the first ever dual moguls gold medal at the Olympics given out, to be the first Australian to have two gold medals, to have been able to overcome the adversity of the other day and bounce back and put down that performance … This one’s just special for a whole lot of other reasons.”
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