Matt Graham has created history for Australia at the Winter Olympics with a bronze medal in the men’s dual moguls. But there was heartbreak for two of his Aussie teammates after a crash from Adam Lambert in the mixed snowboard cross saw Josie Baff miss out on a landmark second medal.

Australian flagbearer Graham was a strong gold medal chance in Italy after injury ruined his hopes at the Beijing Winter Olympics four years ago. But he had to settle for bronze after a slip up against Ikuma Horishima in the semi-final cost him a shot at gold, as Graham went down 21-14.

Matt Graham (L) extended Australia’s best Winter Olympics in history with bronze in the dual moguls, while Adam Lambert and Josie Baff (R) suffered heartbreak in the mixed snowboard cross. Pic: Getty

The PyeongChang silver medallist regrouped for the bronze medal showdown and had too much class for Japan’s Takuya Shimakawa, with Graham prevailing 20-15 to extend Australia’s most successful Winter Games in history. Horishima came unstuck in the final against Mikaël Kingsbury as the Canadian legend won a second Winter Games gold.

Graham’s bronze saw him become the first ever medallist in the dual moguls, which was added to the Winter Games programme for the first time in Milan-Cortina. Sadly for Australia’s singles gold medallist Cooper Woods, he missed out on qualifying for the quarter-finals after being forced to abort his jump in the last-16 showdown, with compatriots Jackson Harvey and George Murphy also bowing out.

“I can tell you I am quite thrilled, yes,” Graham said afterwards. “I mean, it was just great to bounce back from the other day. It was a little bit bittersweet finishing fifth [in singles] and knowing that I could have done more… I was just really happy to be able to just repeat run after run.”

Graham’s medal takes Australia’s record Winter Games tally to three golds, one silver and one bronze. And it could have been even better if not for an unfortunate crash for Lambert in the snowboard cross with Aussie teammate Josie Baff.

Heartache for Aussie pair Josie Baff and Adam Lambert

Having stunned the field to win gold in the women’s snowboard cross, Baff was chasing a historic second gold in the mixed team final. But those hopes were dashed when Lambert got in a tangle with Italian racer Lorenzo Sommariva and suffered a heartbreaking crash that saw him finish 4.16 seconds behind French race leader Loan Bozzolo.

With the women following the men’s leg, it left Baff with too much work to do as the Aussies finished last in the four-racer final, behind gold medallists Great Britain, Italy and France. But Baff said she didn’t blame Lambert for the crash that ended their medal hopes.

A crash for Adam Lambert (L) cost he and Josie Baff (R) a medal chance for Australia in the mixed snowboard cross. Pic: Getty
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Australia’s Josie Baff (L) congratulates Great Britain’s gold medalist Charlotte Bankes (R) after the mixed team snowboard cross big final. Pic: Getty
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“In the final, going down and having four seconds, it’s a tough situation to be in, but I’m still really proud of the two of us and I think we showed everyone what we’re capable of,” Baff said. “I don’t think we can be too disappointed. Obviously, I think we could have won – I really truly believe that we could have had that medal and I guess that stings a little bit.”

Lambert said he came unstuck after landing on the tail of Sommariva’s ski and losing contact with his toe-side edge as he spun out. “That’s what sent me down and it’s a tough place to be,” he said. “I know Josie could have pulled back half a second. She probably could have pulled back one a second-and-a-half, she’s been riding so well. But four seconds is just slightly too much.”

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