LIVIGNO – The King of the moguls has reclaimed his throne.
Canadian freestyle ski star Mikaël Kingsbury did it in historic fashion on Sunday, beating his biggest rival to win the first-ever Olympic men’s dual moguls event and Canada’s first gold medal at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
The 33-year-old from Deux-Montagnes, Que., topped the field for his fifth Olympic medal, and second in what he confirmed is his final Games.
Kingsbury defeated Japan’s Ikuma Horishima 31-4 in the final round of the event, while Australia’s Matt Graham won bronze in the small final.
Horishima tried for a big effort but ended up unbalanced and was forced to skip the second jump. Kingsbury yelled out with joy as he crossed the finish line and skied right into the wall at the bottom of the slope, overcome with emotion.
“I couldn’t ask for anything better than to face Ikuma in the final,” Kingsbury said. “Not only do I win the Olympics, but I do it against the best moguls skier in the world right now — after me!”
Later, Kingsbury pumped his fist as he stepped on the podium, and later tapped his gold medal against the Maple Leaf logo on his jacket, over his heart.
After the race, he confirmed it was his final Olympic performance, calling it “the cherry on top” of his illustrious career.
“I gave everything, I had no regrets. I didn’t feel too nervous. I trusted my plan, I trusted the work that I put in with my team and just went for it. I’m really happy with the outcome,” Kingsbury said.
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“It wasn’t easy today. We had good conditions, but the piste (path) was not easy. But I just trusted my years of experience and the work of my team. I gave it my all, everything I had in my body, to go for this medal.”
Kingsbury had to settle for silver on Thursday after losing a tiebreaker to Cooper Woods of Australia in traditional moguls.
Unlike the individual event, the dual moguls competition sees skiers race each other down the mountain, with the one receiving a better score from judges advancing.
All three medal winners are fathers, and they posed with their children ahead of the podium ceremony.
“We did it in the World Cup and in the duels at the last world championships,” Kingsbury said. “I said then that we could do it again at the Games.”
Kingsbury, who was one of Canada’s flag-bearers for the opening ceremony of the Games, also won an Olympic gold medal in individual moguls at the Pyeongchang Games in 2018.
His overall medal tally now includes two gold and three silver.
“I gave everything, this is extra special,” Kingsbury said.
“I’m the oldest guy in the field. They keep me young in what I do. I love skiing. I’m very proud of myself.”
Kingsbury is the most decorated freestyle skier in history with 100 career World Cup wins.
He appeared to intimidate his adversaries throughout the final day, as none of his three opponents were able to lay down full runs.
“They know that against me, they have to push hard,” Kingsbury said. “After all these years, I have a bit of that presence at the top of the course. They know it’s going to be difficult, so they might be going at their absolute 100 per cent, thinking that if it works, they’ll beat me.”
His trainer, Michel Hamelin, said Kingsbury was even more determined than usual, if that’s even possible.
“Mik was like a cheetah today,” said Hamelin, who has trained Kingsbury off and on for 25 years. “He basked in the sun before pouncing on his prey on the descents.”
As he exits the Olympic stage, Kingsbury said he wanted to leave behind a legacy that’s hard to top.
“Records are made to be broken, but I’d like mine to be tough to beat,” he said. “Will (Wayne) Gretzky’s record be beaten?”
Kingsbury’s medal was Canada’s first gold on Day 9 of competition, ending the country’s longest drought at a Winter Games since 1988 in Calgary.
“I’m happy to have maybe taken a little bit of pressure off the shoulders of my compatriots,” he said.
The other Canadians in the field made early exits, with Elliot Vaillancourt eliminated in the 1/16 finals, and Julien Viel in the 1/8. Both, however, said their overall Olympic experiences had been anything but disappointing.
“I told myself to make the most of every moment, because I knew it would end sooner than I wanted,” Vaillancourt said. “I wish everyone could have an Olympic experience. It’s an experience that has a little more sriracha, that’s spicier.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 15, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press