Lemley Wins Moguls Gold as Anthony Falls Short

USA's Lemley surges to Moguls Gold

Elizabeth Lemley takes surprise gold in women's moguls, while Jakara Anthony disappoints with eighth-place finish at Winter Games.

“I definitely didn't take the easy route into the finals...”

American freestyle skier Elizabeth Lemley stunned the competition, winning gold in moguls at the Winter Games in Livigno with two flawless runs. The 20-year-old Colorado native topped teammate Jaelin Kauf, who took silver, while France's Perrine Laffont secured bronze.

Lemley's victory marked a historic moment for Team USA, as she and Kauf became the first American women to take both gold and silver in an Olympic freestyle skiing event. Defending champion Jakara Anthony of Australia had a disappointing finish, slipping to eighth place after leading earlier.

Jakara Anthony, who's been dominating the moguls scene for the last four years, was leading after the first run but struggled in the second, finishing eighth and last. On the other hand, Jaelin Kauf from the US, who took silver in Beijing, secured her second silver medal with a score of 80.77. Perrine Laffont of France, the 2018 champion, took home the bronze with 78 points.

Moguls Upset: Jakara Anthony Falls Short

Australia's Jakara Anthony, the reigning Olympic champion, had a disappointing outing in the women's moguls final, finishing eighth and last after wobbling out of line in her second run. She had been leading after the first run, but a mistake proved costly.

Kauf and Laffont Shine

American Jaelin Kauf claimed silver with a score of 80.77, her second consecutive Olympic silver medal. France's Perrine Laffont, the 2018 champion, took bronze with 78 points.

“I was trying to focus on trusting myself. I've been working on that this whole season... and right when I pushed out of the gate, I said to myself 'Let's go!'” Lemley told a press conference after the medal ceremony.

Elizabeth Lemley's gold medal moment was almost perfect, but not quite - it fell apart as she celebrated on the podium after receiving it from Australian Olympic Committee President Ian Chesterman. What a bummer, especially since Jakara Anthony had a strong first run, with smooth turns and a big grab on the bottom jump, but lost control in the second run, finishing eighth.

Lemley's win marks a historic moment for Team USA, with her and Jaelin Kauf taking gold and silver, respectively - the first-ever 1-2 finish for the US in women's freestyle skiing at the Olympics. 

Elizabeth Lemley fell just short of a flawless performance, but it was enough to secure gold. Her first-run score of 83.96 would've been enough for the top spot, but she pushed through and got 82.30 in the second run, securing her first global title.

Jaelin Kauf's Tribute to Perseverance

Jaelin Kauf didn't take the easy route to the finals, but it paid off in the end. She delivered a fast first run with tidy skiing and strong jumps, and in the superfinal, she was strong and quick, crushing through the moguls and performing a grab in the bottom air. “I definitely didn't take the easy route into the finals... but I think everything happens for a reason,” Kauf said.

Kauf's determination and grit earned her a silver medal, her second consecutive Olympic silver in women's moguls. She and teammate Liz Lemley made history by taking gold and silver, marking the first time American women have taken both gold and silver in an Olympic freestyle skiing event.

Perrine Laffont turned it around in the second run, showcasing great precision and nailing two big jumps with grabs, securing a spot on the podium. Japan's Hinako Tomitaka also scored 78, but Laffont took bronze thanks to a better score for her turns (42.6 to 42).

When Perrine Laffont saw her score matched Tomitaka's, she was like, “Today was a real roller coaster. It is pretty hard to remember what I was thinking.” Meanwhile, Jakara Anthony was already moving on, despite being disappointed.

“I'm pretty bummed, to be honest,” Anthony said. “I definitely had what ⁠it took, but it is just not my ⁠day today sadly. Maybe in another four ‌years' time.”