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LIVIGNO, Italy — A devastating trampoline accident as a teenager left United States men’s snowboarder Jake Canter without the ability to hear out of his right ear.
So say it loud and proud – Canter is an Olympic medalist.
The 22-year-old from Evergreen, Colorado, delivered a clutch performance in Wednesday’s men’s slopestyle final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, soaring from 10th place after two runs to claim the bronze medal with a score of 79.36 on his final descent .
The Clutch Run
Canter entered the final run knowing he needed something special. He delivered, flipping an extra rotation off the last rail element, stomping his final two jumps, and raising both arms in excitement as he crossed the finish line. Awaiting his score, he made the sign of “prayer hands.” The snowboard gods delivered .
“An absolutely stoked Jake Canter shouts ‘Let’s go! Come on!’ after landing a massive run that finished with a backside 1980 (five and a half rotations)—the biggest spin of finals,” the official Olympics live blog noted .
His score of 79.36 moved him into bronze medal position. With only New Zealand’s Dane Menzies—the top qualifier—remaining, Canter could only watch. Menzies fell on his final run, cementing Canter’s place on the podium .
Podium Finish
China’s Su Yiming captured gold with an 82.41 on his first run, celebrating his 22nd birthday with China’s first gold medal of the Milan Cortina Games . It was his second career Olympic gold after winning big air in 2022.
Japan’s Taiga Hasegawa took silver with an 82.13, also secured in his opening run .
Other Americans
Team USA veteran Red Gerard, the 2018 gold medalist who famously overslept his way to victory in Pyeongchang, placed sixth with a best score of 76.60 . Seventeen-year-old Ollie Martin of Vail finished ninth with a 75.36, adding to his fourth-place finish in big air earlier in these Games .
A Dream Realized
For Canter, the moment was years in the making. After winning the Aspen World Cup slopestyle competition in January to secure his Olympic spot, he was overcome with emotion .
“Just can’t believe this is happening… to be in this position I’m in, I’m so grateful, so thankful,” he told USA TODAY Sports at the time. “It really means the world. It’s everything I wanted” .
On Wednesday, that dream became reality.
