LIVIGNO – Canadian freestyle skier Marion Thénault finished seventh in the women’s aerials on Wednesday at the Milan Cortina Olympics, just like she did in Beijing 2022. This time, the result was a bitter pill to swallow.
“I wanted a medal,” said Thénault, whose usual wide smile had disappeared. “For sure, I’m disappointed.”
The 25-year-old from Sherbrooke, Que., just barely missed being within the top six that move forward to the super final. Her first finals jump was a back full-full-full that scored her 103.89 points — the same jump that vaulted her to the top of the qualifier earlier in the day.
She held on to the sixth and final spot until near the end, when American Kaila Kuhn, the reigning world champion, earned a 109.90 on the same jump, pushing the Canadian to seventh.
Thénault was last to go and launched into a back lay-full-full, but scored a 101.90 that was not enough to move her up the rankings.
“I’m clearly disappointed to not be in the super final,” Thénault said. “It’s hard, because I know I’m capable, but I landed too deep (on my skis) in the final. It’s my fault.”
Get breaking National news
For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
Canadian trainer Jeff Bean said the slight mistake on landing was costly for Thénault.
“If she had landed that, it’s done. It’s the best lay-full-full she ever did,” he said. “She was just a little too much on her heels and a little too far forward, but we’re talking millimetres. The jump was magnificent. The job was done.”
Bean said Wednesday’s final was one for the record books.
“These are the best 24 jumps I’ve ever seen in a women’s aerials competition,” he said.
Thénault agreed.
“I think it’s the highest calibre in the history of women’s aerials,” she said. “It’s cool.”
It’s a second Olympics for Thénault, who won a bronze medal with Miha Fontaine and Lewis Irving in the mixed team aerials event in Beijing 2022.
Thénault said she had hoped for more from her Milan Cortina experience. “I was disappointed in Beijing too, so close to the super final… but now I know that I can do the best jumps in the world, that I’m part of the gang.”
Bean said Wednesday had been “the best day of jumps in her whole life” for Thénault.
“I’m really happy, but also gutted. For her, but also for me,” he said.
He noted that the jumps in the super final hadn’t reached the same level as those in round one, making the loss harder to swallow.
Thénault, however, said she sees a silver lining.
“I really had a good day today,” she said. “I’m happy with my jumps, the mental work I did, because these last months haven’t been easy. I’m very proud of that.”
China’s Xu Mengtao repeated as Olympic champion with a score of 112.90 points, beating out Australia’s Danielle Scott (102.17) and China’s Shao Qi (101.90).
The men’s aerials competition, originally scheduled for Thursday, was postponed to Friday due to substantial snowfall in Livigno. Miha Fontaine, Lewis Irving, Émile Nadeau and Victor Primeau are slated to compete.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 18, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press