Baff wins gold by 0.04 seconds as James claims silver

It’s another golden day for Australia with women’s snowboarder Josie Baff winning the country’s second gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics while Scotty James claimed silver in the halfpipe.

The 23-year-old who was ranked No. 2 in the world became the Olympic Champion in the women’s snowboard cross at the Livingo Snow Park in the early hours of Saturday morning (AEDT).

The 2020 Youth Olympic Champion started the day having finished 17th in her only qualifying run before the first official races got underway.

But despite not having the greatest run initially, she found her rhythm as she progressed throughout the event.

After winning her 1/8 final race, she only just made the semi-finals with a photo finish being needed to separate her and Switzerland’s Sina Siegenthaler for second spot in the quarter finals.

But she pulled through to win her semi-final in sensational style, which gave her confidence in the Big Final to just beat out the Czech Republic’s Eva Adamczykova to the gold medal by 0.04 seconds after taking the lead halfway through the race.

She had competed against Adamczykova throughout all four races, with the two-time World Champion being the only one to have beaten in the seeded runs.

Reflecting on her incredible victory, Baff believed deep down that she was capable, but was still in disbelief.

“I can’t really believe it,” she told Channel 9.

“I knew I could do it, and I knew deep down I had what it took.

"I haven’t won in a long time, so to be able to win here at this event and to have one of the world’s most sought after gold medals around my neck is absolutely incredible.”

She now becomes Australia’s eighth gold medallist in Winter Olympic history and the fourth female to do so.

She also joins Jarryd Hughes as the only Australians to have a medal in the snowboard cross event.

Meanwhile, James claimed his second silver medal in the men's halfpipe after falling on his first run.

In his second run, the 31-year-old managed a spectaculr score of 93.50, but it still wasn't enough to better Japan's Yuto Totsuka.

The superstar from Warrandyte was visibly shattered by the end of the final run, stopping for some time with his head in his hands before joining his rivals as the scores were confirmed.

James made history, becoming the first athlete to win three Winter Olympic medals for Australia.

Speaking on the result, James admitted that he was proud of his medal but disappointed that he couldn’t take home gold for Australia.

“I’m really proud honestly, I’m a bit disappointed you know,” James told Channel 9.

“I could cry, I’m holding back the tears a little bit.

“I’m sorry to everyone back home. I wanted to win it for Australia. It sounds silly to apologise for winning an Olympic medal, but I came here knowing what I wanted to achieve.

“But we’re Aussies … we keep fighting, we put one foot in front of the other.

“I can’t wait to see everyone back home. Few schooners.”

“It is what it is, the show goes on. The sun rises tomorrow and my little boy won’t care what medal is around my neck. We keep going.”