Matt Graham of Australia secured a place in the final of the men’s moguls event at the Winter Olympics on Saturday, despite a challenging course that saw numerous competitors falter. The event, held a day after the women’s competition, proved more treacherous, with athletes frequently crashing or veering off course.
Graham navigated the course successfully, advancing through the round of 16 after a dramatic turn of events. His opponent, Nick Page of the United States, failed to complete his run, allowing Graham to progress even after finishing his own run backwards, according to reports from the competition.
The conditions on the slope presented a significant challenge, with the blue side proving particularly demanding. Several Australian skiers – George Murphy, Jackson Harvey, and Cooper Woods, the singles gold medallist – were eliminated after struggling on that portion of the course. Woods attributed the difficulty to overuse, stating, “It’s definitely trickier” and explaining that “When you hop in a line that’s a little more chewed up and a bit more skied, it’s much harder to ski.”
Graham acknowledged the disparity between the red and blue sides of the slope, expressing a preference for the red. Still, he emphasized his adaptability, stating, “Either way … I was going to adapt.” He described the approach to dual moguls as requiring a focus on vision and maintaining composure, adding, “As long as you look up and look down the hill, that’s where you’re going to go and that’s where my vision was at today. I say sometimes dual moguls, you’ve got to be like Buzz Lightyear: it’s basically just falling with style, and you’re just trying to get to the bottom and make it look good.”
The event too held personal significance for Graham, who revealed he had been in contact with Dale Begg-Smith, the Australian skier who won gold at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. Begg-Smith offered advice to Graham, demonstrating his continued passion for the sport and support for Australian athletes. Graham shared that Begg-Smith was enthusiastic about Cooper Woods’ recent success, immediately seeking Woods’ contact information to offer his congratulations.
Despite being 31 years old, Graham remains open to competing in the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps, suggesting that another appearance is “Hell yeah” possible. He noted the increasing longevity of athletes in various sports, citing examples like Scotty James in halfpipe and comparing their experiences to those of veteran athletes like Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Kelly Slater, who have continued to compete at a high level through advancements in sports science and recovery techniques.
The Winter Olympic Games coverage continues on the 9Network, 9Now, and Stan Sport.
